Heat-treated blue agave fiber composites

Langhorst, Amy; Paxton, William A.; Bollin, Shannon C.; Frantz, Daniel; Burkholder, James; Kızıltaş, Alper; Mielewski, Deborah F.

doi:10.1016/j.compositesb.2019.02.035

Cited by 25 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…It is reported that the thermal treatment can improve the crystallinity of cellulose and remove impurities of Sinal and Kenal fibes [25,26] and provide better thermal stability for Agave fiber [27] . Arwinfar et al [28] noted good compatibility in polypropylene composites with thermally treated beech wood flour and PPgMA, which resulted in higher tensile strength.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal treatment of açaí (Euterpe oleracea) fiber for composite reinforcement

et al. 2020

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This work investigated the effect of thermal treatment in an autoclave on the chemical, physical, and morphological properties of lignocellulosic fibers from açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart), and the behavior of this treated fiber in polypropylene (PP) matrix composites with polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PPgMA) as the coupling agent. The treated and untreated fibers were characterized by chemical composition, x-ray diffraction, FTIR spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry, scanning electron microscopy and tensile tests were carried out for the composites. The results showed that the thermal treatment modified the hemicellulose and lignin content and increased the fiber surface roughness, without compromising the thermal stability. The composite prepared with thermally treated fibers and PPgMA exhibited an increase in tensile strength but a reduction in tensile modulus. In conclusion, the thermal treatment of vegetable fiber is a promising technique for improving the performance of composites.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal treatment of açaí (Euterpe oleracea) fiber for composite reinforcement

et al. 2020

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“…Mainly, the Agave sisalana (sisal), Agave mapisaga, and Agave salmiana varieties provide hard fibers appreciated for their durability for ethnic clothing and strings [7]. Recent studies have shown that leaf inclusion in composites and bioplastics enhances some thermal and mechanical properties [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] and renders a significant yield of bioethanol [17][18][19]. Bagasse is the fibrous residue obtained after the stem is used either for tequila and mezcal elaboration or agave sap extraction.…”

Section: Agave By-productsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cellulose crystallinity is another important feature of agave fibers, in this regard, a higher crystallinity index has been related to better mechanical properties for composites, although some studies have not found an improvement of these properties when fibers crystallinity is increased [9].…”

Section: Nanocomposites and Nanocrystalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Heating or the application of chemical pretreatments has been successfully used to decrease the amorphous components of A. americana leaf fibers for an improved compatibility with hydrophobic materials [77], for enhancing thermal resistance and the crystallinity index of A. tequilana fibers-polypropylene composites [9], and to increase the stiffness and flexural strength of these composites [10]. For thermal treatments, washing at 85 • C with water resulted in a better compatibility and fiber adhesion to artificial polymers (polyethylene) than steam heating [10].…”

Section: Nanocomposites and Nanocrystalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Agave By-Products: An Overview of Their Nutraceutical Value, Current Applications, and Processing Methods

et al. 2021

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Agave, commonly known as “maguey” is an important part of the Mexican tradition and economy, and is mainly used for the production of alcoholic beverages, such as tequila. Industrial exploitation generates by-products, including leaves, bagasse, and fibers, that can be re-valorized. Agave is composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, fructans, and pectin, as well as simple carbohydrates. Regarding functional properties, fructans content makes agave a potential source of prebiotics with the capability to lower blood glucose and enhance lipid homeostasis when it is incorporated as a prebiotic ingredient in cookies and granola bars. Agave also has phytochemicals, such as saponins and flavonoids, conferring anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties, among other benefits. Agave fibers are used for polymer-based composite reinforcement and elaboration, due to their thermo-mechanical properties. Agave bagasse is considered a promising biofuel feedstock, attributed to its high-water efficiency and biomass productivity, as well as its high carbohydrate content. The optimization of physical and chemical pretreatments, enzymatic saccharification and fermentation are key for biofuel production. Emerging technologies, such as ultrasound, can provide an alternative to current pretreatment processes. In conclusion, agaves are a rich source of by-products with a wide range of potential industrial applications, therefore novel processing methods are being explored for a sustainable re-valorization of these residues.

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“…For the treatment of AF, a high pressure stainless steel autoclave was used, a series of tests (Table 2) using 3.5 g of AF previously washed with the purpose of removing the remaining impurities from the bagasse crushing process; a 40 mL solution was added to 0.5 M HNO 3 , performing a series of tests with temperatures varying from 120 to 180°C and various reaction times from 2 to 8 h, within the system a pressure of up to 12410.57 kPa is reached. The temperature and reaction time for the hydrothermal treatment were standardized, it was found that the optimal conditions for a total cleaning of the AF without degrading its fibrous structure, are those at: 140°C (7997.92 kPa) and reaction time of 4 h, obtaining a total weight loss of 45 -52%, attributed to components such as: hemicellulose, lignin and cellulosic waste (Langhorst et al, 2019). It can be deduced based on what is reported in the literature, that thermal hydrolysis was achieved at different temperatures and hydrothermal treatment times, which range between 120 to 180°C and reaction times around 2 to 8 hours, this produces depolymerization from fructans to monomers and other reducing sugars and from the degradation of reducing sugars to furans [mainly 5-(hydroxymethyl) furfural, HMF].…”

Section: Af With Hydrothermal Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%