Abstract
AbstractCellulose‐rich fibers were isolated from Agave lechuguilla (AL) and Agave fourcroydes (AF) growing in the Mexican northeast. These fibers are a valuable feedstock for the preparation of blends with synthetic polymers like poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA. Blends of different types of agave fibers (dewaxed, mercerized, and grafted) and PMMA were prepared and investigated by means of tension measurements and dynamic mechanical analysis. The fiber‐containing blends are more stable than the plain PMMA. Surprisingly, the mechanical stability of the blends is practically independent of the pretreatment of the fibers.Methyl methacrylate (MMA) was grafted onto the biopolymer fibers initiated by the cerammonium nitrate redox initiator. Grafting yields of 26.5% were realized with fibers from AL while up to 75.8% MMA was grafted onto fibers from AF. The materials were characterized by means of FTIR spectroscopy and DSC.
Published Version
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