Abstract
The thermal, mechanical and viscoelastic properties of biocomposites of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) with 20 wt.% of potato pulp powder were investigated. The potato pulp powder utilized is a byproduct from the production and extraction of starch. The results showed that the potato pulp powder does not act as reinforcement, but as filler for PLA, due to an unfavorable aspect ratio and the irregular shape of the particles. In order to improve the mechanical response of the PLA/potato pulp powder biocomposites, surface treatment of the potato pulp particles with bio-based and petroleum-based waxes was investigated. This treatment was found to improve the properties of the biocomposites, enhancing the adhesion between the PLA based polymeric matrix and the potato pulp fibers. The best result is obtained with a petroleum-based wax, but also the bio-based waxes lead to good mechanical properties of the biocomposite. Thus, the addition to PLA of potato pulp powder, treated with waxes, appears a method able to (i) utilize and valorize an abundant agro-food biomass such as potato pulp, according to the principles of circular economy, (ii) favor the production of articles with properties valuable for practical applications, and (iii) reduce the cost of the final products, considering the relatively high cost of PLA.
Highlights
Biocomposites are a special class of composite materials, obtained by blending natural fibers with bio-based and/or biodegradable polymers
The thermal, mechanical and viscoelastic properties of the Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) based matrix and biocomposites with non-treated and treated potato pulp powder were investigated in order to quantify how (i) the addition of these fibers changes the structure of the polymeric material, and (ii) the treatment of the potato pulp powder with waxes modifies the polymer/filler adhesion
The thermal stability of the potato pulp powder and the PLA based biocomposites without and with wax coating was determined by means of the thermogravimetric analysis under nitrogen flow, because the contact of the material with air is reduced in the extruder and moulder
Summary
Biocomposites are a special class of composite materials, obtained by blending natural fibers with bio-based and/or biodegradable polymers (biopolymers). Biocomposites represent an ecological and low-cost alternative to conventional petroleum-derived materials, and for this reason are becoming progressively more utilized for a wide variety of uses. With respect to conventional composites, in which synthetic fibers, like ceramic or glass fibers, and traditional fillers, like mica, are used, biocomposites offer a wide variety of advantages, such as renewability and low density, which make them lightweight and economical materials. The chemical composition of the natural fibers derived from plants consists mainly of cellulose (50–70 wt.%), hemicellulose (10–20 wt.%), lignin (10–30 wt.%), and pectin and waxes in smaller amounts [2,6]. The physico-mechanical properties of the natural fibers depend on the original
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