Mechanical characterization of HDPE reinforced with cellulose from rice husk biomass

Mariane Weirich Bosenbecker,Neftali Lenin Villarreal Carreño,Gabriela Escobar Hochmuller Da Silva,Gabriel Monteiro Cholant,Amanda Dantas De Oliveira,Oscar Giordani Paniz,Juliano Marini

doi:10.1590/0104-1428.04819

Mariane Weirich Bosenbecker, Neftali Lenin Villarreal Carreño + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/0104-1428.04819

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Abstract

Abstract High-density polyethylene (HDPE) reinforced with cellulose from rice husk (RH) were prepared and studied. The RH biomass was submitted to acid extraction and bleaching process and then analyzed for its cellulose extraction efficiency by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). After that, the RH cellulose (RHC) was incorpored to the HDPE matrix by melt blending with different filler contents (5, 10 and 15 wt%), and then characterized in terms of mechanical properties and morphology. The RHC incorporation in the HDPE matrix resulted in an increase in elastic modulus regardless the filler content added; also, the impact resistance was maintained for RHC contents up to 10%. The morphological analysis of the composites showed that the cellulose was well dispersed in the matrix, which contributed to the improvement of the final rigidity of these materials, indicating the feasibility of incorporating this residue in the production of HDPE composites.

Highlights

Polymeric composites reinforced with vegetable fibersThe average chemical composition of rice husk (RH) is defined have been the target of great academic and industrial interest for replacing, generally with cost advantages and lightness, materials made of conventional polymeric composites
Considering that the results of Fourier Transformation Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) are in agreement with the literature, we can say that the treatment used was efficient for obtaining cellulose from RH biomass
The addition of RH cellulose (RHC) in the High-density polyethylene (HDPE) polymer matrix had good effect on the elastic modulus of the composites, as we can confirm by the improvement in the rigidity of the composites when compared to the pure matrix, but without significant changes for higher contents of RHC

Summary

Introduction

The average chemical composition of RH is defined have been the target of great academic and industrial interest for replacing, generally with cost advantages and lightness, materials made of conventional polymeric composites These composites are less aggressive and toxic, since they are reinforced with raw materials of plant origin, such as oils, starch and cellulose. The consumption of rice as food for 2017 was estimated at 53.7 kg/person To meet this demand, rice production forecasts, for the same year, were estimated at 759.6 million tonnes according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)[3]. Rice production forecasts, for the same year, were estimated at 759.6 million tonnes according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)[3] In this context, the Brazilian production of rice is in the order of 12 million tons/year and the state of Rio Grande do Sul represents 60% of this production[4]. It is important to note that these contents may vary significantly according to type of paddy, crop year, climatic and geographical conditions and sample preparation for analysis

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