1. Production and evaluation of recycled polymers from açaí fibers
- Author
-
Clívia Danúbia Pinho da Costa Castro, José de Assis Fonseca Faria, and Carmen Gilda Barroso Tavares Dias
- Subjects
Materials science ,Poliestireno ,Cabbage palm ,Açaí ,Euterpe oleracea ,engineering.material ,Impact test ,recycling ,polystyrene ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,açaí fiber ,lcsh:TA401-492 ,General Materials Science ,Composite material ,High impact polystyrene ,Thermoplastic composites ,Polypropylene ,chemistry.chemical_classification ,biology ,Mechanical Engineering ,Pulp (paper) ,Fibra de açaí ,Reciclagem ,Polymer ,Condensed Matter Physics ,biology.organism_classification ,Polipropileno ,Amazônia brasileira ,chemistry ,Mechanics of Materials ,engineering ,lcsh:Materials of engineering and construction. Mechanics of materials ,polypropylene - Abstract
The possibility of recycling and the favorable mechanical properties of the products have encouraged the study and production of thermoplastic composites from natural fibrous waste. Açaí (cabbage palm) fiber, which is removed from the seed, has been slightly investigated, as compared to what is already known about the fruit pulp. In this study, the influence of açaí fiber as an element of reinforcement in recycled everyday usage thermoplastics using simple, low cost methodology was evaluated. Recycled matrixes of high impact polystyrene and polypropylene were molded by hot compression from which the fiber composites were obtained. The FTIR technique showed that the process was efficient in preventing degradation of the açaí fibers. The influence of the fiber on the mechanical behavior of the recycled matrixes was investigated by microscopic images of compression and impact tests. The results showed better impact performance for the fiber combined with the polymeric matrixes.
- Published
- 2010