Electrical conductivity and dielectric relaxation studies of biocomposites based on green microcrystalline cellulose-reinforced vinyl resin matrix

Abstract

The dielectric properties of biocomposite materials based on vinyl resin filled with microcrystalline cellulose, in the frequency range from 100 Hz to 1 MHz and in the temperature range from 280 to 400 K, are presented. Two dielectric relaxations were identified. The first one is attributed to the α-relaxation, associated with the glass transition of biocomposite, and the second one, appearing above the glass transition and at low frequencies, was identified as the interfacial polarization effect, which is attributed to the accumulation of charges at the cellulose microcrystalline/matrix interface. Furthermore, the thermal analysis of their relaxation frequency and the electrical conductivity behaviors showed that the activation energy of these composite is more pronounced for the temperatures above the glass transition temperature, suggesting that the interaction between MCC particles and polymeric matrix became significant with the increase of temperature.