Abstract
Abstract Vegetable fibers are widely used as reinforcement in the production of composites. In this work, the photodegradative potential of polymer composites containing babassu fiber was characterized and evaluated. The fibers were extracted manually and immersed in a 10% NaOH solution (Mercerization). After drying, they were crushed and incorporated into the low-density polyethylene matrix in proportions of 5%, 10%, and 20% of the total mass of the composite. The composites were subjected to Scanning Electron Microscopy analysis (showed the incorporation of fibers into the polymeric matrix), Infrared Spectroscopy (the presence of fiber was observed with peaks at 3200-3600 cm-1, and 1596 cm-1-1036 cm-1), Mechanical Tests (with 20% fiber, there is a 44% decrease in tension, 48% in strain and 12% in Young's modulus) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (inicial fiber degradation starts between 220-337 °C, and matrix degradation between 333-550 °C). The composites were subjected to degradation processes by solar radiation and under artificial UV-B. Samples of oxy-biodegradable plastic bags were also degraded under the same degradation conditions of the composites. These results show that the materials used in the research, besides presenting an excellent degree of compatibilization, also reveal an improvement in the photodegradation potential of composites.
Highlights
Vegetable fibers are composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectin, wax and other compounds soluble in water[1,2]
The mercerization superficial treatment methodology was used in the present study, and sand bath was used for mixing of the materials, to ensure the fibers were well distributed in the polymer matrix
The presence of fibers in the matrix was observed by the appearance of peaks between 3200-3600 cm-1, which did not exist prior to the formation of the polymer composites, and so pertain only to the fibers
Summary
Vegetable fibers are composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectin, wax and other compounds soluble in water[1,2]. The cellulose compound in a larger amount is a linear homopolymer composed of glucose units that are joined through glycosidic linkages of the type β-(1, 4), or between the carbons C1 and C4 of β-D- glucopiranose[4]. The fibers absorb moisture, vary in quality, and have low compatibility when united in polymer matrix hydrophobic[2,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14]. The hydrophilic nature makes it inherently incompatible with thermoplastic hydrophobic polymers, such as polyethylene of high and low density, due to its high molecular weight and its long‐chain inert vegetable fibers[15]. There are several types of treatment including acetylation, etherification, peroxide treatment, mercerization[9,13,15], etc
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