1. Gas Dissolution Foaming as a Novel Approach for the Production of Lightweight Biocomposites of PHB/Natural Fibre Fabrics
- Author
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Miguel Angel Rodriguez-Perez, Ester Laguna-Gutierrez, Mònica Ardanuy, Luigi Sorrentino, Heura Ventura, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Departament de Ciència dels Materials i Enginyeria Metal·lúrgica, and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. TECTEX - Grup de Recerca en Tecnologia Tèxtil
- Subjects
Biopolímers ,Materials science ,Biopolymer ,biocomposite ,Polymers and Plastics ,Nonwoven fabric ,Fibres tèxtils -- Innovacions tecnològiques ,Composite number ,Biocompuestos ,02 engineering and technology ,Enginyeria tèxtil::Fibres tèxtils [Àrees temàtiques de la UPC] ,fabric reinforcement ,engineering.material ,biopolymer ,natural fibres ,foaming ,Biopolímeros ,010402 general chemistry ,Enginyeria dels materials [Àrees temàtiques de la UPC] ,01 natural sciences ,Article ,Polyhydroxybutyrate ,Expansion ratio ,Stress (mechanics) ,Biopolymers ,Textile fibers--Technological innovations ,Composite material ,Dissolution ,Biocomposites ,Teixits i tèxtils -- Innovacions tecnològiques ,Materials compostos ,Fabric reinforcement ,Foams ,General Chemistry ,Composite materials ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,0104 chemical sciences ,engineering ,Biocomposite ,0210 nano-technology ,Fibras naturales ,Espumas ,Natural fibres ,Foaming - Abstract
Producción Científica, The aim of this study is to propose and explore a novel approach for the production of cellular lightweight natural fibre, nonwoven, fabric-reinforced biocomposites by means of gas dissolution foaming from composite precursors of polyhydroxybutyrate-based matrix and flax fabric reinforcement. The main challenge is the development of a regular cellular structure in the polymeric matrix to reach a weight reduction while keeping a good fibre-matrix stress transfer and adhesion. The viability of the process is evaluated through the analysis of the cellular structure and morphology of the composites. The effect of matrix modification, nonwoven treatment, expansion temperature, and expansion pressure on the density and cellular structure of the cellular composites is evaluated. It was found that the nonwoven fabric plays a key role in the formation of a uniform cellular morphology, although limiting the maximum expansion ratio of the composites. Cellular composites with a significant reduction of weight (relative densities in the range 0.4–0.5) were successfully obtained., Ministerio de Educación y Formación Profesional (grants FPU12/05869 and EST14/00273), Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (grants BIA2014-59399-R and MAT2015-69234-R), Junta de Castilla y Leon (grant VA011U16)
- Published
- 2018