Abstract
The effect of paraffin wax encapsulated microcrystalline cellulose (EMC) particles on the mechanical and physical properties of EMC/epoxy composites were investigated. It was demonstrated that the compatibility between cellulose and epoxy resin could be maintained due to partial encapsulation resulting in an improvement in epoxy composite mechanical properties. This work was unique because it was possible to improve the physical and mechanical properties of the EMC/epoxy composites while encapsulating the microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) for a more homogeneous dispersion. The addition of EMC could increase the stiffness of epoxy composites, especially when the composites were wet. The 1% EMC loading with a 1:2 ratio of wax:MCC demonstrated the best reinforcement for both dry and wet properties. The decomposition temperature of epoxy was preserved up to a 5% EMC loading and for different wax:MCC ratios. An increase in wax encapsulated cellulose loading did increase water absorption but overall this absorption was still low (<1%) for all composites.
Highlights
In the polymer science field, epoxy polymers offer great versatility and an ample range of enhanced properties, such as stiffness, specific strength, dimensional stability, chemical resistance, and strong adhesion within the matrix [1]
For the coating process [28,29], encapsulated microcrystalline cellulose (EMC) particles were obtained by mixing cellulose particles with
[28,29], EMC particles were obtained by mixing cellulose particles with paraffin at 70 °Cprocess for 20 min at a constant stirring of 300 rpm
Summary
In the polymer science field, epoxy polymers offer great versatility and an ample range of enhanced properties, such as stiffness, specific strength, dimensional stability, chemical resistance, and strong adhesion within the matrix [1]. Polymers 2016, 8, 415 increased moisture absorption followed by dimensional change [11,12,13,14] This property results in poor compatibility between cellulose and hydrophobic polymer matrices, such as epoxy. Wax is a potential commercial candidate due to its high reproducibility, low production cost, improved stability, environmental friendliness, and low initial capital investment [22,23]. It can reduce the rate of water flow in capillaries [24] and significantly increase the dimensional stability of wet specimens [25]. The possible applications of these composites may include food preservation and innovative packaging, aero-automotive, electrical, and electronics fields [30]
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