Properties Of Blends Research Articles

Effect of Goat Dung Charcoal Blend of Lontar Shell and Other Biomass on Physical and Chemical Properties of Biocharcoal Briquettes

This study aims to determine the physicochemical properties of biocharcoal briquettes blend of goat dung charcoal, lontar shell charcoal and various biomasses. This study used a completely randomised design with 4 treatments and 4 replicates. The treatments were T1: 50% goat dung charcoal + 40% lontar shell charcoal + 10% lontar male fruit charcoal, T2: 50% goat dung charcoal + 40% lontar shell charcoal + 10% rice husk charcoal, T3: 50% goat dung charcoal + 40% lontar shell charcoal + 10% corn cob charcoal, T4: 50% goat dung charcoal + 40% lontar shell charcoal + 10% lamtoro twigs charcoal. The variables studied were briquette yield, density, moisture content, ash content, calorific value, volatile matter, and fixed carbon. The statistical analysis showed that the treatment had a very significant effect (P<0.01) on density, moisture, ash content, calorific value, volatile matter, and fixed carbon, but no significant effect (P>0.05) on yield. The average of yield 56.41%, density 0.68g/cm3, moisture 5.39%, Ash 22.24%, fixed carbon 43.04%, volatile matter of 29.34% and calorific value 4555.67 cal/g. It was concluded that biocharcoal briquettes produced blend of goat dung charcoal, lontar shell, and various biomasses (lontar male fruit, rice husk, corn cob and lamtoro twigs) had varying physical and chemical properties, but in this study using lontar male fruit charcoal, rice husk and lamtoro twig, were better.

Polyamide 66/poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) compatibilization with styrene–acrylonitrile–glycidyl methacrylate: rheology, morphology, and mechanical properties

During the blending process, styrene–acrylonitrile–glycidyl methacrylate (SAG) was grafted through in-situ formation of polyamide 66 (PA66) as a compatibilizer for poly (2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenoxy) (PPO) composites. SAG has an obvious advantage over the PA66/PPO blends in terms of terminal performance in the dynamic rheological analysis. Moreover, the gap between the PA66 and PPO glass-transition temperatures decreases with the SAG content increasing, which indicates improved compatibility. The particle morphology of the PA66/PPO/SAG blends had narrower size distributions and became smaller after adding SAG. In addition, the compatibilization improved the mechanical properties of blends significantly when SAG reached 5 by weight per hundred resins (phr). This is attributed to enhanced interfacial adhesion and a finer dispersion morphology. However, when 7 phr of SAG are added, the exceeded compatibilizer produces a limitation on the improvement of the mechanical properties. Our results indicate that the optimal concentration of the compatibilizer, SAG, is between 3 and 5 phr for PA66/PPO (60/40).

MoEpPOSS nanotaneciğinin PA6/TPE karışımlarının morfolojik ve reolojik özelliklerine etkisinin incelenmesi

Polyamide 6 (PA6) is one of the used engineering thermoplastics with the advantages of high resistance to chemicals and abrasion, high fatigue resistance and toughness. However, it has some disadvantages such as low impact strength and notch sensitivity. The blend of PA6 with elastomers can mitigate these shortcomings. Lately, thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) have been frequently used to toughen notch-sensitive polymers such as PA6 due to their outstanding properties such as high elasticity, recyclability, and easy processing. As it is known, obtaining superior properties in polymer blends relies on the interfacial interaction between the components of the blend. Additionally, by using compatibilizers, blends with the required properties can be created by enhancing interaction between phases, or interfacial adhesion. Recently, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanoparticles, organic/inorganic hybrid nanoparticles, are preferred as an alternative compatibilizer to conventional types. In this study, PA6/TPE blends were compatibilized with POSS nanoparticle with single epoxy group (MoEpPOSS). The morphological and rheological properties of PA6/TPE blends compatibilized with MoEpPOSS nanoparticle were investigated. Also, possible chemical interactions between PA6 and/or TPE and MoEpPOSS nanoparticle were determined via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses.

Evaluation of vegetable oil blends properties during deep frying process and their influence on the quality of fried potatoes

Using different vegetable oils, it is possible to obtain blends that are less susceptible to oxidation, improving stability. In this work, the objective was evaluate alterations that occurred with two blends developed using soybean, cottonseed, and palm oils: Blend 1 in the proportions of 20:20:60 and Blend 2, 20:60:20, respectively. Batch frying study was conducted under temperature condition of 185°C for 20 hours. In the oils, the acid index, viscosity, color, composition in fatty acids and polar compounds were determined; and in the fried potato samples, moisture content and total lipids were analyzed. Results show that, in oils, there is an increase in the amount of saturated fatty acids greater for Blend 2 by 12.43% at the end of 20 hours of frying. There was an increase in viscosity during frying and there was no significant difference between the acidity of the blends. Both blends have suffered color change due to oil degradation. Oils with more saturated fatty acids, such as Blend 1, present greater stability during potato frying, however, there is a greater incorporation of oil in the finished product. Blend 1 was considered more stable, as it had the formation of 5.3% less polar compounds, as it has a higher amount of palm oil.

Durability-Related Transport Properties of Limestone Calcined Clay Cement Mortars

This study investigates the effect of utilizing a combination of limestone and calcined clay as cement re-placement on the transport properties that indirectly define the behavior of the matrix throughout its service life, such as total porosity, water absorption due to capillary action, water permeability penetration, chlorine diffusion, and car-bonation depth. Mortars were made of blends with different levels of cement replacement (%15, %30, %45) by a substi-tution ratio of 2:1 (calcined clay: limestone), with adjusted gypsum content in each system composition. Furthermore, the influence of kaolinite content in clays on transport prop-erties was also investigated. Based on the results, all LC3 blends exhibited a significant improvement in terms of total porosity, capillary water absorption, water penetration re-sistance, and chloride diffusion compared to OPC mortars. Moreover, the higher the replacement level of cement, the higher the resistance to movement or transport of ion spe-cies through the mortars. The improvement in the transport properties for LC3 blends can be attributed to its enhanced porosity refinement as well as the enhanced chloride bind-ing capacity. In contrast, a slight improvement in the transport properties was observed with increasing the kao-linite content of the calcined clays. This result indicates that utilizing low-grade calcined clay has no significant effect on the transport properties. The carbonation resistance of the LC3 blends was lower as compared to OPC. Furthermore, increasing the cement substitution rate resulted in a pro-gressive decrease in carbonation resistance. Overall, an in-crease in cover depth would be required to achieve a similar service life in terms of carbonation as that of the OPC.

Viscometry-based prediction of structural properties of high-moisture meat analogues using gelation properties of soy and pea isolate protein blends

In this study, utilizing the gelation properties of a blend containing soy protein isolate (SPI), pea protein isolate (PPI), and corn starch (CS), we introduced a novel approach to predict the structural attributes of high-moisture meat analogues (HMMA). By leveraging the “Rapid Visco Analyzer 4800″ viscometer, we measured the gelation behavior of SPI and PPI based on temperature profiles, underscoring a method to efficiently forecast fibrous structures and reduce trial errors in complex extrusion processes. As the PPI content increased, we observed a decline in the overall viscosity of the protein mixture, paralleled by a rise in color lightness. Contrary to the sturdy gel network formed by SPI, PPI showcased weaker particle bonds, indicating a structural vulnerability. In line with this, the texture of HMMA diminished as PPI content escalated. The secondary protein structure in both protein gels and HMMA revealed that as PPI content grew, there was a reduction in α-helix and β-sheet structures while random coil structures increased. The molecular strength of the protein gel waned with higher PPI content. Similarly, in HMMA, elevated PPI levels corresponded to fewer protein interactions. The study demonstrates that HMMA's textural properties can be effectively predicted by understanding the gelation characteristics of the SPI-PPI blend, highlighting the need for further research to refine prediction models that incorporate the complexities of molecular interactions in varying processing conditions.

Production and Quality Evaluation of Acha (D.exilis)-Cowpea (Phaseleous vulgaris)-Carrot (Daucus carota) Based Couscous

The quality of couscous produced from acha, cowpea and carrot flour blends were investigated. The chemical composition, functional and pasting properties of acha, cowpea and carrot flour blends and sensory properties of the couscous prepared from acha, cowpea and carrot flour blends at ratios of 100:0:0; 90:5:5; 80:10:10; 75:15:10; 70:15:15; 65:20:15; 60:20:20; 55:25:20 and 50:25:25 were analyzed using standard methods. The moisture, crude protein, crude fat, ash and crude fiber contents increased from 9.38 to 14.49, 8.40 to 9.75, 1.59 to 2.62, 3.89 to 5.85 and 2.77 to 3.31%, respectively with increase in the addition of cowpea and carrot flours. While the carbohydrates decreased from 73.97 to 63.98% with increase in the addition of cowpea and carrot flours. The sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron and phosphorus contents of the couscous samples content ranged from 13.51 to 33.78, 89.10 to 128.44, 23.20 to 40.72, 1.80 to 4.44, 3.71 to 14, 125.72 to 196. 35 and 91.53 to 118.91 mg/100g, respectively. The average mean scores for mouth feel, texture and flavor increased from 5.75 to 6.88, 6.00 to 7.18 and 6.68 to 6.94, respectively, with increase in cowpea flour up to 20% and decreased with further increase. The most acceptable and preferred couscous blend was that with 20% cowpea and 15% carrot flour with corresponding improvement of 12.38% protein and 44.18% fiber content. The acceptability of acha-cowpea-carrot flour blend couscous could greatly improve the nutritional intake of the consumers and as well reduce importation of wheat flour and encourage commercial growth of cowpea and carrot in Nigeria.

Ways to Improve the Effectiveness of Depressant Additives for the Production of Winter and Arctic Diesel Fuels

Diesel fuel is the main fuel for transport and power generation for remote areas, especially the Arctic. For these territories, it is important to produce low-freezing fuel grades. The most effective way to improve the low-temperature properties of diesel fuels (cloud point, pour point, and cold filter plugging point) is the use of depressant additives. Existing research shows that the depressant additives’ effectiveness is influenced by many factors. The most important factors are diesel fuel composition, additive concentration, and the temperature of additive introduction into the fuel (adding temperature). The purpose of this work is to find ways to increase the efficiency of depressant additives for the production of low-freezing diesel fuels by choosing the most effective additive concentration and adding temperature for fuels of various compositions. During the work, low-temperature properties were determined and the effectiveness of three depressant additives was assessed on four samples of diesel fuel at four concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 5.0 c.u., where c.u. (conditional unit) is the concentration recommended by the manufacturer of the additives). In addition, low-temperature properties for blends of six depressant additives and two samples of diesel fuel at five adding temperatures (15, 25, 35, 45, and 55 °C) were determined. In this work, in contrast to existing works, it was established for the first time that the composition of the fuel affects not only the depressant additives effectiveness, but also the dependence of the additive effectiveness on the concentration in which it is used. It is shown that the higher the content of paraffins in the composition of the diesel fuel, the less the depressant additive’s effectiveness in relation to cold filter plugging point depends on the concentration and the more the depressant additive’s effectiveness in relation to the power point depends on the concentration. An inverse relationship was revealed for the content of aromatic hydrocarbons in diesel fuel. It was also found for the first time that an increase in the adding temperature of depressant additives up to 35–55 °C enhances the effectiveness of their action in relation to the cold filter plugging point (maximum at 6–7 °C). It is shown that the greater additive effect on the cold filter plugging point of the diesel fuel, the more strongly the depressant effectiveness depends on the adding temperature. The work provides recommendations for obtaining the most low-freezing classes of fuel based on the samples considered. The regularities identified in the work will make it possible, depending on the composition of the fuel, to select the optimal concentration of the additive and the temperature of its adding, which will increase the efficiency of the additives, as well as the volume of low-freezing grades of diesel fuel production.

Gluten free sourdough breads from pearl millet-Bambara nut and pearl millet-soybean paste: Evaluation of the proximate, functional properties of the flour blends and the bread nutritional indexes

Wheat bread (WB) triggers celiac disease to the vulnerable consumers which has no cure except controlled or abstinence from gluten injection in the diet. Besides, wheat importation is costly which reflects on bread cost. This study aimed at elaborating and analyzing gluten free sourdough bread (SB) from pearl millet-Bambara nut and pearl millet-soybean composite flours and compared with wheat flour bread. The results revealed variations (p < 0.05) in moisture, dry matter, ash, crude protein, crude fibre, fat, carbohydrate and energy contents of SBs between 33.37–33.47 %, 66.54–66.63 %, 1.93–2.15 %, 9.84–10.36 %, 1.08–1.17 %, 3.78–6.35 %, 46.82–49.69 % and 276.38–294.13 Kcal respectively. While that of WB were 34.71, 63.29, 2.10, 50.51, 0.84, 4.87 and 46.95 % respectively. Micronutrient composition varied (p < 0.05) from 49.42 to 51.77, 63.64–68.50, 0.78–1.06, 0.26–0.76, 0.19–0.23 and 8.27–9.53 mg/100 g respectively for calcium, phosphorous, iron, vitamins B1, B2 and C. Respective WB values were 42.85, 59.17, 1.17, o.23, 0.17 and 7.62 mg/100 g. Physical properties varied (p < 0.05) from 0.35 to 0.95 cm, 172.13–219 cm3, 214–219 g and 8.06–8.50 cm3/g and that of WB were 4.50 cm, 196.70 cm3 237 g and 8.30 cm3/g respectively, for oven spring, loaf volume, loaf weight and specific loaf volume. Most of the chemicaland physical parameters have significant (p < 0.01) correlation. Acceptability scores of the SBs varied (p > 0.05) from 5.20 to 5.85 while that of WB was 7.550. Millet-soybean paste (50: 50) produced a better SB with higher nutrient content and acceptability score than that from millet-Bambara nut composite flour. Varying their blending ratios could give better results.

A Systematic Investigation on the Effect of Carbon Nanotubes and Carbon Black on the Mechanical and Flame Retardancy Properties of Polyolefin Blends.

Due to high filler loading, clean, commercial, thermoplastic, flame-retardant materials are mechanically unstable when insulating wires and cables. In this study, composite formulations of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE)/ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) containing a flame retardant, such as magnesium hydroxide (MH; formula: Mg(OH)2) and huntite hydromagnesite (HH; formula: Mg3Ca(CO3)4, Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2·3H2O), were prepared. The influence of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon black (CB) on the mechanical properties and flame retardancy of LLDPE/EVA was studied. Three types of CNTs were examined for their compatibility with other materials in clean thermoplastic flame-retardant compositions. The CNTs had the following diameters: 10-15 nm, 40-60 nm, and 60-80 nm. Optimum mechanical flame retardancy and electrical properties were achieved by adding CNTs with an outer diameter of 40-60 nm and a length of fewer than 20 nm. Large-sized CNTs result in poor mechanical characteristics, while smaller-sized CNTs improve the mechanical properties of the composites. CB enhances flame retardancy but deteriorates mechanical properties, particularly elongation at break, in clean, black, thermoplastic, flame-retardant compositions. Obtaining satisfactory compositions that meet both properties, especially formulations passing the V-0 of the UL 94 test with a minimum tensile strength of 9.5 MPa and an elongation at break of 125%, is challenging. When LLDPE was partially substituted with EVA, the limiting oxygen index (LOI) increased. The amount of filler in the formulations determined how it affected flammability. This study also included a reliable method for producing clean, black, thermoplastic, flame-retardant insulating material for wire and cable without sacrificing mechanical properties.

Polymerization of polar α-olefin with high activity and high syndiotactic selectivity catalyzed by scandium metal catalyst of fluorene coordination

High functional poly α-olefin can be synthesized from polar α-olefin containing heteroatomic groups by coordination polymerization. These highly functional poly α-olefin materials can obviously improve the non-polar poly α-olefin materials, such as the appearance, printability, adhesion, rheology, compatibility with other polymer materials and blending properties to improve their added value and expand their industrial application range. In this paper, a series of polymer materials with potential application value were prepared with a catalyst of scandium fluorene Flu-Sc(THF)n (CH2SiMe3)2 to achieve high reaction activity (63.1×103g/(molcath)) and high selectivity polymerization (rrrr>99%) of polar α-olefin with different heteroatoms and different chain lengths.

Study on functional properties of protein-rich composite flour utilizing foxtail millet and flaxseed

The residue after extraction of oil from flaxseed contains many nutrients and bioactive components, though it is not used that much in the development of food. On the other hand, foxtail millet is a non-conventional source of food, which can be a supplement of wheat flour or flour-made products. The objective of this work is to incorporate flaxseed oil cake into the common food with a non-conventional source of flour and also to check the functionality of differently pre-processed foxtail millet. In utilizing oil industry waste, i.e., de-oiled flaxseed, for developing a value-added product, the concept of green technology was applied. Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) oil cake flour was mixed in a 1:1 ratio with Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) flour, prepared in three forms: raw, germinated, and microwave treated. The study mainly focused on utilizing the non-thermal processes to investigate the functional properties of the flour blends. Also, an analysis of functionality among three forms of foxtail millet has been done in this study. The mixed flours were further evaluated for nutrient composition and functionality. The results of the developed flour blends are compared with the conventional wheat flour and raw foxtail millet flour to determine the importance of Oil Cake Waste and pre-processing of Millet. The functional properties of mixed flour increased compared with raw foxtail millet flour.

Influence of different dimensional nanoparticles on the properties of poly(β-hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) nanocomposites

Abstract In order to study the effect of nanoparticle dimensions on the thermodynamic properties of PHBV and PHBV blends, one-dimensional cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), two-dimensional graphene, and zero-dimensional hydrophobic nano-silica were selected to regulate the crystallization and mechanical properties of poly(β-hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) (PHBV) and PHBV blends. The morphology, crystallization process, mechanical property and rheological response of PHBV nanomaterials were analyzed. Experimental results show that the three selected nanomaterials all hinder the crystallization process of PHBV, among which two-dimensional graphene exhibits the most obvious hindrance. At the same time, two-dimensional graphene can improve the tensile strength and impact strength of PHBV. However, in the rheological response of PHBV nanocomposites, zero-dimensional hydrophobic nano-silica and one-dimensional cellulose nanocrystals show more obvious regulatory effects than two-dimensional graphene.

Preparation of GNP/SBR thermal conductivity composites with high strength and toughness by synergistic construction of interfacial multiple non‐covalent and covalent bonds

Abstract[AMIm]Cl@GNP/SBR composites were prepared by blending ionic liquid 1‐allyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride salt([AMIm]Cl) modified graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) and styrene‐butadiene rubber (SBR). The mechanical and thermal properties as well as the structure–activity relationship of the obtained composites based on the modified filler were investigated under the synergistic effect of non‐covalent and covalent bonding. The experimental results indicated that the modification of GNP by [AMIm]Cl occurred under mild conditions. The dispersibility of [AMIm]Cl@GNP in SBR was enhanced by its participation in vulcanization and the synergistic effect of non‐covalent and covalent cross‐linking networks such as cation‐π, π‐π, and hydrogen bonds. This improvement led to an increase in the interfacial bond strength of the composites and a reduction in the interfacial thermal resistance. These effects resulted in both reinforcement and thermal conductivity properties. The tensile strength and elongation at break of [AMIm]Cl@GNP/SBR composites increased from 18.2 to 22.9 MPa and from 737.9% to 923.5%, respectively, when the modification ratio of [AMIm]Cl was 1% and the loading of [AMIm]Cl@GNP was only 4 phr (mass ratio). At the same time, the thermal conductivity in the vertical direction of the composites increased from 0.25 to 0.44 W/(m·K), and the thermal conductivity in the horizontal direction increased from 0.27 to 0.81 W/(m·K).Highlights Modified powder [AMIm]Cl@graphene nanoplatelets were prepared; [AMIm]Cl@graphene nanoplatelet/styrene‐butadiene rubber blend was prepared; Mechanical properties of blends significantly improved over blank; The horizontal thermal conductivity of the blends increases obviously; The vertical thermal conductivity of the blends was improved.

Physicochemical compositions, nutritional and functional properties, and color qualities of sorghum-orange-fleshed sweet potato composite flour.

Sorghum and orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) flours were blended to produce composite flours at eight different ratios of 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50, 40:60, 30:70, and 20:80, respectively, whereas 100% sorghumflour was used as control. The physicochemical compositions, nutritional and functional properties, as well as color attributes of the composite flour blends were evaluated. The acquired data were analyzed using ANOVA, and the means were separated using the Duncan multiple range test. Significant differences (p < .05) were observed in the physicochemical and nutritional properties of the flour blends. The protein levels in the composite flour decreased as the proportion of OFSP flour increased. However, the levels of vitamins, particularly vitamins A and C contents of the composite flours increased with higher proportions of OFSP, ranging from 0.27 and 1.74 mg/100 g in sample S100 to 2.13 and 2.12 mg/100 g in sample S20O80, respectively. In contrast, an increase in the percentage of OFSP flour resulted in a decrease in the contents of vitamin B-complex, particularly vitamins B2 and B6. These values decreased slightly from 0.19 and 1.98 mg/100 g in sample S100 to 0.16 and 0.03 mg/100 g in sample S20O80, respectively. Furthermore, as the proportion of OFSP flour increased, there was a reduction in the calcium levels from 17.39 mg/100 g in the 100% sorghum sample to 13.52 mg/100 g in the S20O80 sample. However, no particular trend was observed in, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus levels. Sample S50O50 had the highest percentage of essential and conditional amino acids, except for cysteine, valine, and phenylalanine. The findings also revealed significant variations (p < .05) in the composite flour samples' functional properties and color measurements. Substituting sorghum with OFSP in sorghum-based food products would significantly increase their vitamin A content.

Synthesis and Physico-mechanical Characterization of Polystyrene Blended with Uvaria chamae Seed Oil (UCSO) Used as a Plasticizer

Polystyrene has long been recognized as a versatile and cost-effective material used in several industries, such as packaging, consumer electronics, building, medical, and and food service disposables. The current research focuses on the synthesis and physico-mechanical characterization of polystyrene blended with Uvaria chamae seed oil (UCSO), used as a plasticizer. UCSO was extracted with hexane and used as a plasticizer in the suspension polymerization of styrene. The findings on the quality of the oil are as follows: oil content (12.54%), specific gravity at 25 oC (0.94 ± 0.00), acid value (8.029 ± 0.12 mg KOH), iodine value (18.987 ± 0.40), peroxide value (7.0), free fatty acid (4.015%), and saponification values (173.392). The mechanical properties of the polystyrene blend with Uvaria chamae seed oil (PS-UCSO) at 100g were reported as follows: ultimate tensile strength (48.6 MPa), Young modulus (1985.3 MPa), % elongation (12.6%), break load (390.6 N), peak load (386.5 N), Shore D hardness (80.0), and water absorption (1.31%). Other properties like thermal conductivity and thermal resistance were reported as 0.2614 (W/m.K.) and 3.8256 (1/k). The findings revealed that the mechanical properties of PS-UCSO were highly competitive with the conventional white petroleum oil used as a plasticizer. As a recommendation, Uvaria chamae seed oil should be used as a plasticizer since it is available, cheap, and environmentally friendly.

Physicochemical and functional properties of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) flour supplemented with Parinari curatellifolia flour

The effect of partial substitution of finger millet (FM) with Parinari curatellifolia flour on the physicochemical and functional properties of FM flour was investigated. FM and P. curatellifolia (PC) flour and blends were coded as FM, FMPC1, FMPC2, FMPC3 and FMPC4 and represented in the ratios 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30 and 60:40 (FM: PC), respectively. The chemical, thermal, functional, colour and texture properties of FMPC flour blends were determined. The pH ranged from 5.72 to 5.90 for all samples, respectively. Results showed a significant decrease in pH value as PC flour increased in the blends. The cold paste viscosity significantly increased as PC flour increased in the blends. The addition of PC delayed the onset temperature of the flour blends and other thermal parameters. There was a decrease in the lightness and an increase in yellowness, redness, oil absorption capacity, bulk density, and dispersibility of flour with an increase in PC flour. The flour blends contained more protein, minerals, and carbohydrates than FM flour. The results of this study show that the FMPC flour blends may be beneficial as functional ingredients in formulating a variety of ready-to-eat baked products and infant formula.

Design of compostable toughened PLA/PBAT blend with algae via reactive compatibilization: The effect of algae content on mechanical and thermal properties of bio‐composites

AbstractA binary blend of polylactic acid (PLA) and poly (butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT), along with algae in their respective composites, were successfully produced using a melt extrusion process. The produced in‐house coupling agent was used to enhance interfacial adhesion and algae dispersion. The influence of algae content incorporated into the compatibilized binary blend was thoroughly investigated, focusing on the bio‐composites morphology, mechanical, and thermal properties. The addition of PLA‐g‐MA to the binary blend led to notable improvements in the storage modulus, mechanical strength, and thermal properties of the binary blend. Subsequently, the introduction of algae into the compatibilized binary blend further augmented the storage modulus, with an optimum algae concentration of 10 wt%. However, higher algae content led to decreased tensile strength, elongation at break, and impact resilience. The optimal balance of these properties was achieved at an optimal loading of 5–10 wt% of algae into the compatibilized binary blend. The thermal stability of the bio‐composites was notably impacted by algae concentration, with the 10 wt% algae bio‐composite exhibiting increased thermal stability. Increasing algae content correlated with decreased bio‐composite crystallinity. These findings underscore the potential of optimized biobased algae composites for achieving desired mechanical and thermal properties, contributing to the development of sustainable and eco‐friendly polymer bio‐composites.

The Effect of Mechanical Recycling on the Thermal, Mechanical, and Chemical Properties of Poly (Butylene Adipate-Co-Terephthalate) (PBAT), Poly (Butylene Succinate) (PBS), Poly (Lactic Acid) (PLA), PBAT-PBS Blend and PBAT-TPS Biocomposite

Mechanical recycling of plastics is regarded as the best option to minimize plastic waste pollution in the environment as it is well established and offers valorisation of plastics; however, there is limited research on the mechanical recyclability of biopolymers. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of multiple reprocessing on the mechanical, thermal, physical, chemical, and morphological properties of poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), poly (butylene succinate) (PBS), poly (lactic acid) (PLA), PBAT-PBS blend, and PBAT-thermoplastic starch (TPS) composite. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE), a conventional non-biodegradable plastic, was also reprocessed for comparison studies. The biopolymers were extruded seven times in a twin-screw extruder and injection moulded into test specimens. Their properties were investigated at each extrusion cycle. Tensile, impact strength, and melt flow index (MFI) results of neat PBAT and PBAT-TPS were stable with slight changes throughout the seven reprocessing cycles and were comparable to LDPE. The properties of PBS, PLA, and PBAT-PBS blend, on the other hand, started to decrease after the second melt extrusion cycle. In addition, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry (TGA), and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) results showed that LDPE, PBAT, and PBAT-TPS exhibited better thermal and mechanical stability as compared to PBS, PLA, and PBAT-PBS blend. The FTIR spectroscopy results showed that the characteristic peaks of C=O and C–O around 1710 cm−1 and 1046–1100 cm−1 for PBS, PLA, and PBAT-PBS decreased due to multiple thermal processing, while those of PBAT and PBAT-TPS were unaffected. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs of the fractured cross-sectional surface of PBS, PLA, and PBAT-PBS tensile specimens clearly evidenced the degradation of the biopolymers by severely fractured morphology as a result multiple reprocessing cycle. The results demonstrate that the fully biodegradable PBAT and PBAT-TPS can be mechanically recycled for at least seven cycles, and therefore, the service life of biodegradable polymers can be extended, and it is comparable with petroleum-based plastic.Graphical

A mechanistic approach toward understanding the mechanical and rheological properties of polyamide/reclaimed rubber blend containing silane-treated silica

The use of reclaimed tire rubber (RTR) as a rubber toughener for engineering plastics such as polyamide 6 (PA6) is a sustainable route for rubber recycling, and it is essential to determine how surface treatment of silica nanoparticles (NPs) contributes to the modification of the blend properties. Here, a comprehensive mechanistic view based on a knowledge of all the influencing factors including the dispersion state of NPs, NP localization, change in matrix crystallinity, and rheology is presented to understand the properties of PA6/RTR/Silica ternary blends. Using the long-chain silane hexamethyltrimethoxysilane, silica was surface-modified at low, medium, and high levels. The impact strength of PA/RTR exhibited an improvement level of 104 % compared to the PA6 system. The results indicate that the change in matrix crystallinity, which is by itself related to the rheological properties, is the primary factor behind the modification of the mechanical properties by the silica nanoparticles. Mechanical engagement interaction resulting from interpenetration of the silane tails significantly altered the rheology and PA6 crystallinity. A secondary role was also found for the NP state of dispersion and localization.