This study evaluates the thermal, morphological and mechanical behavior of polypropylene (PP) composite with different natural fibers. The fibers used were wood, sugarcane, bamboo, babassu, coconut and kenaf with and without coupling agent. The thermal, morphological and mechanical properties were evaluated, and a composite PP+GFPP (glass fiber) was used as reference. The interaction at the interface fiber-polymer matrix was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) at the fractured surface of the composites, as expected the presence of maleic anhydride (MA) as coupling agent increasedthe interaction at the interface. The influence of natural fiber in the degree of crystallinity of the composites was evaluated by DSC analysis. The samples of PP+GFPP and PP+(PP-MA)+WF (wood flour) showed better temperature stability. PP+GF also presented superior flexural modulus. The thermal dynamic mechanical behavior was evaluated by DMA, a decrease in storage modulus with increasing temperature was observed, the PP+GF and the composite containing maleic anhydride and sugarcane fiber showed higher modulus. The natural fiber biocomposites studied, consistently presented lower flexural modulus and tensile strength than the reference composite, with and without the use of coupling agent. As expected the use of natural fibers lowered the density compared to the reference material.
The use of recycled raw materials and renewable sources are necessary for economical, social, environmental and technological development. In this context, this work aims to study the influence of two lignin types, one derived from pine (Lig I) and the other one from eucalyptus, (Lig II) on polymer composites properties of recycled low density polyethylene (r-LDPE-Al) and Pinus Elliotti wood flour (WF), in the proportion 70% and 30% matrix/reinforcement in weight, respectively. The r-LDPE-Al is from Tetra Pak post-consumer packaging. The composites were processed by extrusion in a laboratory co-rotation twin-screw extruder. The composites obtained were evaluated through tests of melt flow index (MFI), tensile strength, Charpy impact strength, density and heat deflection temperature (HDT). The MFI results indicated that both lignin showed potential use as a flow agent for r-LDPE-AL/WF composites, with an increase of 41% and 13% for Lig I and Lig II, respectively, when compared with composite reference 0 (without lignin). Mechanical test results showed that the lignin origin influences the composites’ properties where Lig I, is derived from pine (the same source as wood flour) had the best performance, indicating a potential use as a coupling agent. The results were favorable for a more noble reuse for post-consumer packaging and the lignin by-product.
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