Abstract
This research work has been undertaken to fabricate environmentally friendly biocomposites for biomedical and household applications. Sponge-gourd fibers (SGF) obtained from Luffa cylindrica plant were chemically treated separately using 5 and 10 wt% NaOH, acetic anhydride and benzoyl chloride solutions. SGF reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) biocomposites were fabricated using melt compounding technique. Surface morphological, structural, mechanical and thermal properties, as well as antibacterial activities of raw and chemically modified SGF reinforced PLA (SGF-PLA) composites were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray diffractometry, universal testing method, thermogravimetry, and Kirby-Bauer agar diffusion method, respectively. Surface morphology indicates that after treatment of fibers, the interfacial adhesion between PLA and fibers is improved. X-ray diffractometry result shows that chemical treatment of fibers improves the crystallinity and exhibits new chemical bond formation in the composites. After chemical treatment, compressive strength of the composites is found to increase by 10% - 35%. The thermal stability of the treated fiber reinforced composites is also found to increase significantly. The composites have no antibacterial activities and no cytotoxic effect on non-cancer cell line. Soil burial test has confirmed that the composites are biodegradable. Benzoyl chloride treatment of fibers shows superior mechanical properties and enhances thermal stability among the composites.
Highlights
Material researchers, engineers and scientists are always determined to produce either improved traditional materials or completely novel materials; composites are an example of the second category
The degradation of composites has been evaluated by measuring the weight loss of samples, which have been soil buried in outdoor for 28 days
The chemical modifications of Sponge-gourd fibers (SGF) have accelerated the degradation under soil of the SGF-polylactic acid (PLA) composites, showing increased percentage of weight loss
Summary
Engineers and scientists are always determined to produce either improved traditional materials or completely novel materials; composites are an example of the second category. The development of biocomposites from biodegradable polymers and natural fibers have attracted great interests in the composite science, because they could allow complete degradation in soil or by composting process and do not emit any toxic or noxious components [1]-[6]. It is well known that the fiber reinforcement is a viable method to improve the material properties of biodegradable polymers and to reduce the overall costs of the prepared materials [12]. Uses of SGF as reinforcing material in fabrication of polymer-SGF composites have raised great interest and expectations among materials scientists and engineers [13]-[21]
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