Abstract
Sugarcane straw (SCS) is a common agro-industrial waste that is usually incinerated or discarded in fields after harvesting, increasing the importance of developing added-value applications for this residue. In this study, sustainable biocomposites were produced, and the effect of sugarcane straw as a filler/reinforcement of commercial biopolymers was evaluated. Biocomposites were prepared using polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), polyhydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV), or green polyethylene (Green-PE) with different fiber contents (20, 30, and 40 wt.%). Dry-blending followed by compression molding was used for the biocomposites preparation. The results showed that PLA, PHB, and PHBV biocomposites retained the same impact strength as the neat matrices, even with 40 wt.% of sugarcane straw. The flexural and tensile modulus of PLA, PHB, and PHBV biocomposites increased with 20% of SCS, whereas, in Green-PE biocomposites, these properties increased at all fiber contents. Since any compatibilizer was used, both the flexural and tensile strength decreased with the addition of SCS. However, even with the highest content of SCS, the tensile and flexural strength values were around 20 MPa, making these materials competitive for specific industrial applications.
Highlights
The tensile and flexural properties of polylactic acid (PLA) decreased with the addition of sugarcane bagasse, even with coupling agents, which was similar to the results reported by Bartos et al [25]
Has an impact strength of 28 J/m, which slightly decreased to 26 J/m and 24 J/m with 30 and 40 wt.% of Sugarcane straw (SCS), respectively
This study aimed to explore the feasibility of SCS as a reinforcement/filler of different biopolymer matrices as an alternative method of reducing the final product cost
Summary
Lignocellulosic materials are commonly found in ecosystems. They are the most abundant biopolymer on earth [1]. The global annual production of lignocellulosic biomass is estimated at around 181.5 billion tons [2]. Agriculture wastes are an important type of lignocellulosic biomass, such as bagasse, palm residues, corncob, and straw, among several others [1,3,4]. These lignocellulosic materials have been widely used to produce composites due to their advantages of possessing biodegradability, a low cost, a lower density, and less abrasiveness than synthetic fibers [5]
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