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In this work, a varied content of alfa fiber was used as reinforcement and epoxy resin as matrix material. In order to eliminate the amorphous part of the alfa fiber, the fibers are treated with 5% of sodium hydroxide solution and their weight fraction is varied between 10% and 30%. Dielectric and water characteristics of different content of untreated and alkali treated alfa reinforced epoxy matrix is carried out in order to determine the role of cellulosic fibers in electrical field. Then, the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) is employed to analyze the chemical structure of epoxy resin before and after curing with amine hardener. FTIR and Differential Scanning Calorimetry analysis confirm that epoxy resin is completely cured with amine hardener at room temperature. For composites loaded with 30% treated and untreated alfa fiber, a decrease in tensile and dielectric properties has been obtained, this may be related to the random distribution of alfa fiber in the epoxy matrix. Scanning electron microscopy analysis highlight the microstructure of epoxy matrix and its composites. The bio composites elaborated on the basis of alfa fiber and epoxy matrix have good physical and dielectric properties can be applied in different fields.

In the present work, Olive Husk (OH) waste is successfully utilized to produce cellulose by degreasing, eliminating hemicelluloses, and bleaching with a 74% yield. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis is used to characterize the structural properties of OH and cellulose samples. FTIR depicts the transmission peak 1745, 1375 and 1260 cm−1 due to wax, hemicellulose and lignin respectively. The thermal stability of OH and extracted cellulose was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The extracted cellulose had good thermal stability, the degradation temperature of the extracted cellulose.

Among the biopolymers available in the world, polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the highest biopolymers produced globally, thus, making it suitable for product commercialization. The effectiveness of natural fibre–reinforced PLA composite as an alternative material to substitute the non-renewable petroleum-based materials has been examined by researchers. In this work, a focus was done on the physico-chemical, particle size and distribution, spectroscopic (FTIR) and thermal characterization of prickly pear seed flour (PPSF). Then, composites were elaborated with a mass proportion of 20% in PPSF. Spectroscopic (FTIR), thermal, morphological and mechanical characterization and water absorption tests have been studied and compared a second time. The characterization of this fibre has shown that cellulose is the majority constituent (30%), followed by hemicellulose (27%). To improve the fibre matrix adhesion, the PPS was chemically treated by alkali treatment. However, for the untreated composite material, thermogravimetric analysis has shown that the decomposition starts temperature and the maximum degradation rate decreases with the incorporation of PPSF, and the study of the mechanical properties showed that the increase in the fibre content from 0 to 20% increased Young’s modulus. The results show that the mechanical and the thermal properties of the biocomposites with treated fibre are better than those of neat PLA and the biocomposites with untreated fibre. Finally, the water absorption rate of the composites increases with immersion time.

Chitin and chitosan as green and active biomacromolecules were extracted from local seafood waste (shrimp shells). The extraction was carried out by a soft chemical process, followed by structural characterization (FTIR, XRD, viscosity average molecular weight M̅v), thermal stability by TGA, and antibacterial tests. FTIR and XRD spectra confirmed the chemical structures of the extracted chitin and chitosan which were similar to the commercial ones. The chitin and chitosan had an average viscosimetric molar weight of 232.21 kDa and 41 kDa, respectively. The chitosan had a high deacetylation degree (DD = 71 %) and low cristallinity index (Icr = 68.3 %); compared to chitin, which exhibited a lower deacetylation degree (DD = 24.27 %), higher thermal stability and higher cristallinity index (Icr = 87.55 %). A bacteriostatic effect of chitin was observed in the gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium. Chitosan exhibited a bacteriostatic effect on all bacteria tested, except Salmonella typhimurium.

This work reports the effects of different types of Poly (vinyl chloride) grafted with maleic anhydride on the fiber–matrix compatibility in terms of wettability and dynamical properties of composites. The elaborated composites were compounded with alfa fibers and Poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC). The applied treatments were maleic anhydride-Poly (vinyl chloride) copolymer (PVC-g-MA) with three different quantities of MA grafted (PVC-g-MA1, PVC-g-MA2 and PVC-g-MA3). Both DMA and contact angle results indicated that all compatibilizers led to better adhesion and the wetting behavior of PVC/alfa composites. All properties of composites were strongly dependent on the amount of MA-grafts. The performance of PVC-g-MA as a compatibilizer in PVC/alfa composites was evaluated. It was observed that PVC-g-MA3 shows a better compatibilizing effect than the PVC-g-MA1 and PVC-g-MA2. Based on the success of these results, it is reasonable to assume that the PVC-g-MA, for which there was no disclosure found in the literature, can be considered for its suitability as a compatibilizer candidate.

Every year a considerable amount of olive husk was rejected in nature by different oil mills or incinerated. The valorization of these agricultural wastes by its incorporation as loading in the development of composite materials with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is the object of this research. To improve the properties of the interface between the polymer matrix and olive husk flour (OHF), two chemical treatment methods were conducted. The first treatment consisted to use PVC-g-MA (maleic anhydride grafted on PVC) as a compatibilizer in composites; the second was a surface modification of olive husk flour by benzoylation. In this context, we prepared various formulations based on polyvinyl chloride/olive husk flour with different loading rates (10, 20, and 30%) using twin-screw extrusion. The Fourier transform infrared was used to study the chemical modification of the fiber. The composites were characterized by mechanical tests, thermogravimetric (ATG/DTG), mechanical dynamic analysis (DMA), and the physical characterization by the water absorption test. The thermogravimetric analysis revealed the improvement of the thermal stability of the composites with and without treatment compared to virgin PVC.

In this present study, several biocomposites based on low density polyethylene (LDPE) reinforced with plasticized corn flour (PCF) and native (unplasticized) corn flour (NCF) were prepared by reactive extrusion. To obtain compatible blends, a coupling agent PE-g-MA was added into the blend to reduce the interfacial tension existing between the polymer and filler. The results showed that the addition of PE-g-MA has improved morphology and gives a better interfacial adhesion between the filler and the matrix which is reflected in higher mechanical properties. The elongation at break was improved from 30.36, 22.64 and 19.09% for materials loaded with 10, 30 and 50% by PCF respectively to 45.89, 32.26 and 25.94% for the same formulations prepared with the coupling agent. The water absorption rate is reduced by 20% compared to non-compatibilized biocomposites. Moreover, the biodegradability of these biocomposites has been studied in a natural environment using a soil burial test for 180 days and the different results obtained are compared with those before burial. The results showed that the biocomposites prepared with the plasticized corn flour are more sensitive to biodegradation.

The dispersants and coupling agents are effective means to develop composites materials to get better processability and mechanical properties. In this study, the efficiency of three dispersing agents (BYK W-966, BYK W-9010, and BYK W-980) used to enhance the dispersion of Stipa Tenacissima (alfa) fibers in poly (lactic acid) PLA matrix were compared. Composites were prepared by twin-screw extrusion followed by compression molding. The mechanical, morphological, and thermal properties of the composites were evaluated. Although the incorporation of the Stipa Tenacissima fiber is tended to reduce the mechanical properties and thermal stability of materials. However, the PLA/ Stipa Tenacissima /BYK showed superior mechanical properties and better thermal stability compared to the untreated one. The IR spectra and morphological analysis revealed that the improvement achieved is related to better dispersion of treated Stipa Tenacissima fiber in the PLA matrix. The treatment effect of fiber is more pronounced using BYK W-980. Its incorporation improved flexural modulus and ultimate flexural stress in PLA/ Stipa Tenacissima composites.

This paper focused on the influence of hydrothermal aging in an acid medium on the structure and morphology of Poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) biopolymers reinforced with olive husk flour (OHF). The obtained results show that the addition of maleic anhydride (MA) as compatibilizer into biocomposites does not delay ageing. Biocomposites were found very sensitive to prolonged exposure under such conditions. The evolution of thermal properties is more observed for PHBV/olive husk flour materials due to the hydrophilic nature of the flour.

The use of cork in polymers is an effective approach to develop new sustainable materials, with the current challenges facing the world regarding on the environmental impact of synthetic polymers. Cork granules are delivered as waste by the industry preparing coating plate and cork ventures. These granules can be used in the preparation of composites, to the reason of their low density. This work presents the preparation of biocomposites resulting from the combination of the poly (e-caprolactone) with cork (10–30 wt and maleic anhydride-grafted polyethylene (MAPE) as compatibiliezr agent. A twin-screw extruder and injection molding are used in order to obtain the tensile samples. The obtained composites were characterized for mechanical and thermal properties, morphology, and water absorption behavior. All composites demonstrated a better dispersion of cork and a solid interfacial bond between the cork particles and the PCL matrices as confirm by SEM. The Young's modulus values of the composites were little affected by a rate of 10% of fillers; but for higher loads, a significant decrease in this parameter was observed, resulting in more flexible materials. The treatment delayed thermal degradation. These attractive performances reveal that sustainable cork based materials proposed in this work could be a good alternative to traditional and could find applications in a number of domains.

The growing interest in the preservation of our environment is pushing for solutions to develop less impacting materials. Thus, the development of biocomposites and is recyclable and compostable en...

Biocompostable composites based of ethylene‐co‐vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer were prepared by using a twin‐screw extruder. The compatibility between EVA/starch composites were improved either by addition of polyethylene‐grafted maleic anhydride (PE‐g‐MA), or by reactive extrusion with maleic anhydride (MA) and benzoyl peroxide. The crystallinity of the non‐compatibilized composites increased with the starch content. The addition of PE‐g‐MA increased the crystallinity of the composites made with up to 20 wt% of starch. The thermal stability of EVA/starch composites decreased with increasing the starch content, and the addition of PE‐g‐MA compatibilizer enhanced the thermal stability of the composite. The in‐situ grafting with MA and PBO led to an increase in the thermal stability of the composites containing higher amounts of starch. Further, the mechanical properties of the compatibilized EVA/starch composites were improved with increasing the starch content and this was ascribed to the improved interfacial interactions between starch and EVA.

In recent years, most of the scientific research had focused on developing environment-friendly biodegradable materials after being used. There are two ways to do that: the first consists of the use of biodegradable plastics, and the second is the incorporation of biodegradable fibers in polymers. The main objective of this paper is to develop eco-friendly biodegradable biocomposites and to make their characterization. We devoted significant attention to investigate the use of alfa fiber as reinforcement in Poly (hydroxybutyrate-Co-valerate) (PHBV) material. The effects of fiber content and fiber treatment, as well as the biodegradation behavior of elaborated composites, have been investigated. From the main results, we observed some morphological changes that occurred on the fiber surface after chemical treatment. The use of fibers in PHBV increases the modulus but not necessarily improves the tensile strength of resulting composites but remains dependent on the interfacial adhesion. Alkali treatment of alfa fibers leads to improve the tensile strength and the rigidity of PHBV/alfa composites. SEM micrographs highlighted differences in microstructure of untreated and treated composites indicating that fiber-treatment also enhances the quality of the interface between the thermoplastic matrix and alfa fibers. In terms of degradability characteristics, the treated composites were highly biodegradable compared to both neat PHBV and untreated composites when subjected to water absorption in distilled and seawater. Also, elaborated composites undergo significant degradation into seawater, indicating their environmentally friendly character.

International audience; Our work is focused on the development of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) composite materials loaded with olive husk flour (OHF) to solve the problem of compatibility between the hydrophobic polymer matrix and the hydrophilic fibre. A maleic anhydride (MA) modifying agent was used, which was grafted onto the polymer using a screw extruder. The efficiency of the grafting reaction of maleic anhydride on the macromolecular chains of PHBV with the rates of 0.73% for 1% MA and 0.3% for 3% MA was calculated using a titration method. The results showed that the mechanical properties of the PHBV/OHF bio-composites decreased considerably with increased modulus due to the poor interfacial adhesion between PHBV and OHF. The contribution of the modifying agent was undeniable, cohesion significantly improved and the mechanical properties also increased. The thermal properties showed that the degree of crystallinity of the composites decreases after the addition of a modifying agent. However, in view of the results, better adhesion to the interface is achieved with the use of 1% modifying agent (MA).

In this study, olive husk flour was added to poly(lactic acid) (PLA) to produce fully biosourced and biodegradable composites. In particular, untreated and alkali treated particles were used to produce the biocomposites at 20 wt.% via melt extrusion followed by injection moulding. The samples were then subjected to accelerated ageing (UV irradiation and water spray at 50°C) for different amounts of time (120, 240, 360 and 480 h). The results show that accelerated ageing decreased the tensile strength (TS) and Young's modulus (YM) for both untreated and alkali treated biocomposites, but the treated particles presented a lower reduction. Further comparison was made via differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to detect any changes in the samples.

Afin de limiter l’utilisation des énergies fossiles et de valoriser les déchets ligno-cellulosiques, les composites à fibres naturelles s’inscrivent dans un contexte favorable qui permettra de répondre à des enjeux environnementaux, économiques et sociaux grâce à leurs propriétés de faible coût, faible densité, renouvelables et de biodégradabilité. L’objectif de cette étude est de développer un nouveau matériau composite constitué d’une matrice thermoplastique, le polychlorure de vinyle (PVC), renforcée par des fibres naturelles à base des noyaux de dattes (FND) avec des taux de charge allant de 10 à 40 % massique. Différentes techniques d’analyses ont été utilisées pour étudier les propriétés mécaniques, morphologiques et la perméabilité d’eau des échantillons obtenus. Les résultats enregistrés indiquent que la contrainte à la rupture diminue avec l’augmentation du taux de charge en FND tandis que la rigidité augmente. L’analyse morphologique par microscopie électronique à balayage (MEB) montre une meilleure dispersion pour de faible taux de charge en FND. Une très faible absorption d’eau a été enregistrée.

The objective of the investigation described in this work was to study the reprocessing effects on the alfa fiber reinforced polyvinylchloride composites with and without maleic anhydride-grafted polyvinyl chloride used as compatibilizer. The material was characterized after each extrusion using tensile tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic mechanical, and thermal analysis. Results indicated that generally after four cycles, the recycled composites had considerably higher modulus as compared with the original composites, which were attributed to changes in physical and chemical properties of the composites induced by the recycling process. This effect was enhanced for the compatibilized samples. Increase of the modulus strength of the poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) matrix is detected due to the molecular chain cross-linking resulting from degradation. In addition, it was found that the reprocessing cycles increase in glass transition temperature of PVC and PVC/alfa composites.

In this study, cellulose nanowhiskers (CNW) were prepared from alfa fiber (Stipa tenacissima) by an alkali treatment at room temperature in association with a bleaching treatment followed by a sulfuric acid hydrolysis. Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was used to highlight the evolution of chemical composition. Atomic Force Microscopy and Zeta-sizer indicated that the transverse size of the particles varied between 30 nm and 170 nm. Thermal stability was higher for CNW as compared to alfa fiber. FT-IR, X-ray diffraction, and Thermogravimetric analysis studies confirmed the removal of hemicelluloses and lignin during the chemical treatment process. The swelling of CNW in water with Cloisite 30B (CNW/C30B) or with the Polyethylene glycol (CNW/PEG) was carried out. The properties of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) nanocomposites reinforced with CNW which was dispersed with two different methods were also compared. The results showed that the morphology of both samples have drastic differences...

The growing interest in the preservation of our environment stimulates solutions for developing less impacting materials.Thus, the development of composites from renewable resources and recyclable end-of-life resources seems an interesting alternative. This motivated the reason to focus our work on the use of agricultural by-products and waste recycling. Our purpose is the reprocessing of composites based on polypropylene (PP) reinforced with olive husk flour (OHF) at various load rates with adding PP-g-MA as a compatibilizer by six cycles of extrusion.The Young modulus of the composites has slightly increased with the rise of the OHF rate and the number of cycles. An FTIR analysis shows two types of degradation after reprocessing: thermal degradation characterized by a splitting of chains and thermal oxidation justified by the increase in the carbonyl index even when the intensity of the absorption peak has been noticed at 1690-1640 cm(-1) referring to the vinyl groups after the 6th cycle.Moreover, the TGA analysis showed a better thermal stability of the composites after the 6th cycle compared to the virgin PP. The rate of crystallization increases with the number of extrusion cycle.

In this study, blends were developed based on poly (lactic acid) (PLA) containing chitosan (CHS) extracted in our laboratory and an organically modified montmorillonite (cloisite 30B) at different amounts from 1 to 4 (in wt.-%). Tensile samples were prepared using twin-screw extrusion followed by injection molding, and films were obtained by press compression. The morphological and mechanical results showed a phase segregation and poor adhesion between the polymers. Indeed, the elongation at break and thermal stability had undergone a major decrease when adding chitosan to the PLA matrix. Glass transition temperature (Tg), melt temperature (Tm) and recrystallization temperature (Tc) decreased with the addition of chitosan, whereby an increase in crystallinity indicated a nucleation effect showing the same results as with the addition of cloisite 30B. An interesting effect of cloisite 30B was found when it was incorporated into the PLA/CHS blend especially with respect to a 4 wt.-% of cloisite 30B amount. The loss of elongation at the break was partially compensated and the thermal stability and crystallinity were improved. The water vapor permeability (WVP) and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of PLA/chitosan blends were higher than those for the neat PLA. By incorporating the C30B into the PLA/CHS blends, very interesting and good barrier properties were recorded as compared to neat PLA and PLA/CHS composites.

Plasticized and unplasticized chitosan films were successfully prepared by thermomechanical treatment, as a possible alternative route to solvent casting method. Acetic acid and lactic acid were used as solvents and glycerol was used as plasticizer with a fixed concentration of 25 wt.-%. The properties of the prepared samples were investigated demonstrating the effects of acid type and the addition of glycerol. Microstructure analysis results revealed a homogeneous and cohesive matrix, indicating a smooth surface without pores, cracks and irregularities. Unplasticized samples with lactic acid showed lower stiffness, higher elongation at break, more thermal stability, higher water uptake and water vapor permeability compared to the samples prepared with acetic acid. The introduction of glycerol affected all properties of the samples, but the samples prepared with lactic acid were more influenced. The rheological and mechanical properties (tensile strength and elongation at break) were improved when glycerol was added, resulting in a ductile behavior with a small plastic deformation and higher elongation at break compared to unplasticized films. On the other side, thermal properties were negatively affected by a decrease in the thermal stability. The water uptake and WVP measurements verified that the hydrophilic character of the material was enhanced by the addition of glycerol.

The ecological problem caused by the disposal of large volumes of plastics materials stimulated the development of new biodegradable materials i.e., poly hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate (PHBV). However, their high price represents the main restriction to wide usage. This situation makes necessary the use of low cost fillers as a way of reducing the cost of the product. Owing to higher production cost of PHBV as compared to traditional polymers, we investigated the possibility to replace a quantity of PHBV by lignocellulosic filler without damaging the properties of the composites. In this study, alfa fiber and its cellulose obtained after extraction were used as reinforcement for the development of totally biocomposite materials. The results show a narrow increasing trend in the tensile strength and tensile modulus.The ecological problem caused by the disposal of large volumes of plastics materials stimulated the development of new biodegradable materials i.e., poly hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate (PHBV). However, their high price represents the main restriction to wide usage. This situation makes necessary the use of low cost fillers as a way of reducing the cost of the product. Owing to higher production cost of PHBV as compared to traditional polymers, we investigated the possibility to replace a quantity of PHBV by lignocellulosic filler without damaging the properties of the composites. In this study, alfa fiber and its cellulose obtained after extraction were used as reinforcement for the development of totally biocomposite materials. The results show a narrow increasing trend in the tensile strength and tensile modulus.

Wood flour (WF)-filled composites based on a polypropylene (PP)/recycled polyethylene terephthalate (r-PET) matrix were prepared using two-step extrusion. Maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) was added to improve the compatibility between polymer matrices and WF. The effects of filler and MAPP compatibilization on the water absorption, mechanical properties, and morphological features of PP/r-PET/WF composites were investigated. The addition of MAPP significantly improved mechanical properties such as tensile strength, flexural strength, tensile modulus, and flexural modulus compared with uncompatibilized composites, but decreased elongation at break. Scanning electron microscopic images of fracture surface specimens revealed better interfacial interaction between WF and polymer matrix for MAPP-compatibilized PP/r-PET/WF composites. MAPP-compatibilized PP/r-PET/WF composites also showed reduced water absorption due to improved interfacial bonding, which limited the amount of absorbable water molecules. These results indicated that MAPP acts as an effective compatibilizer in PP/r-PET/WF composites. POLYM. COMPOS., 2015. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers

This paper illustrates the aim to introduce biodegradable vegetable filler in synthetic polymers to prepare novel biodegradable composites. Low density polyethylene/alkali treated corn flour (LDPE/ATCF) composites were prepared by reactive extrusion using a twin-screw extruder. The microstructure, thermal properties and tensile properties were evaluated and compared with virgin LDPE. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra showed a decrease in the hydrophilic nature of corn flour (CF) after alkali treatment. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs showed good dispersion between matrix and filler. The tensile and elongation at break decreased by increasing the filler content in the composites. However, the Young’s modulus increased with the increase in filler content. The biodegradation of composites was studied in the environment using the soil burial test for 6 months. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis showed an increase of the melting enthalpy (ΔHm) and crystallinity of LDPE with evidence of degradation. The biodegradability of the composites was enhanced with increasing ATCF content in the matrix. This result was supported by weight loss and degraded surface of composites observed through morphological studies. From the results, we conclude that the use of ATCF as filler in LDPE reduces pollution problems. This is advantageous for both the economy and the environment.

In this work, the composites were prepared with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and olive husk flour (OHF) with different percentages (10, 20 and 30%) using extrusion method followed by injection molding. The morphological, mechanical properties and thermal behavior of composites were investigated. Tensile strength and elongation at break of composites showed a decreasing trend with increasing fiber content. On the other hand, Young modulus and storage modulus were increased. The addition of OHF resulted in a decrease in thermal stability of composites. The presence of OHF led to an increase in percentage of crystallinity (Xc) of PLA matrix., {"references":["Barton, J.; Niemczyk, A.; Czaja, K.; Korach, Ł.; Sachermajewska, B. Polym compos 2014, CHEMIK, 68, 4, 280-287.","Smith, R., Boca Raton, CRC Press: 2005; pp.32-50.","Signori, F.; Coltelli, M.B.; Bronco, S. Polym Degrad Stab 2009, 94, 74.","Ozkoc, G.; Kemaloglu, S. J Appl Polym Sci 2009, 114, 2481.","Drumright, R. E.; Gruber, P. R.; Henton, D. E. Adv Mater 2000, 12, 1841.","Aurus, R.; Harte, B.; Selke, S. Macromol Biosci 2004, 4, 836-864.","Ishidi, Y. E. World Journal of Engineering and physical Sciences 2014, 2 (2), 17-24.","Lee, S-H; Ohkita, T; Kitagawa, K. Holzforschung 2004, 58, 529-36.","Vila, C Campos, A.R.; Cristovao, C; Cunha, AM; Santos, V; Parajo, JC. Compos Sci Technol 2008, 68, 944-52.\n[10]\tHuda, M. S.; Drzal, L.T.; Mohanty, A. K.; Misra, M. Compos Sci Technol 2008, 68, 424-432.\n[11]\tYu, D.; Ghataura A.; Takagi, H; Haroosh, H. J.; Nakagaito, A. N.; Lau, K.T. Compos Part A-Appl S 2014, 63, 76-84.\n[12]\tKoutsomitopoulou, A.F ; Bénézet, J.C.; Bergeret, A.; G.C. Powder Technol 2014, 255, 10-16.\n[13]\tIslam, Md. N. Rahman, Md. R. Haque, Md M. Huque, Md. M. Compos Part A-Appl S 2010, 41, 191-198.\n[14]\tSujaritjun, W.; Uawongsuwan, P.; Pivsa-Art, W.; Hamada, H. Energy Procedia 2013, 34, 664-672\n[15]\tTawakkal, I.S.M.A.; Cran, M. J.; Bigger, S. W. Industrial Crops and Products 2014, 61, 74-83.\n[16]\tShukor, F.; Hassan, A.; Islam, Md. S.; Mokhtar, M.; Hasan, M. Mater Design 2014, 54, 4256-429.\n[17]\tManshor, M.R.; Anuar, H.; Aimi, M.N.N.; Fitrie, M.I.A.; Nazri W.B.W.; Sapuan, S.M.; El-Shekeil, Y.A.; Wahit, M.U. Mater Design 2014, 59, 279-286.\n[18]\tLi, X ; Lei, B ; Lin, Z ; Huang, L ; Tan, S ; Cai, X. Mater Design 2014, 53, 419-424.\n[19]\tYu, T.; Ren, J.; Li, S.; Yuan, H.; Li, Y. Compos Part A-Appl S 2010, 41, 4, 499-505.\n[20]\tCheng, S ; Lau, K-T; Liu, T.; Zhao, Y.; Lam, P-M.; Yin, Y. Compos Part B-Eng 2009, 40, 650-654."]}

International audience

The investigation of the economical use of lignocellulose waste, which is one of the environmental problems facing nations, is ongoing. In this study, waste cardboard paper fiber reinforcing polypropylene (PP) composites was developed. In order to modify the PP matrix maleated PP (MA-g-PP) a 5 wt% and a grafting rate of 1 and 2 wt% was used as a compatibilizer. The effects of fiber and compatibilizer content as well as graft content are evaluated by mechanical, thermal property measurements, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The compatibilizer improved all mechanical properties significantly. Thus, the tensile strength of MA-g-PP-containing composites increases compared to PP/cardboard composites paper content increases. However, the tensile modulus of a PP-based composite increases with an increase in paper fiber with the compatibilizer having little effect. SEM revealed that the addition of MA-g-PP generates strong interactions between a PP matrix and paper fibers. However, the addition of the MA-g-PP compatibilizing agent gives a significant improvement on the crystallization of the composites, whereas the compatibilized PP/old corrugated cardboard (OCC) composites have higher crystallinity (Xc) than uncompatibilized PP/OCC composites. The MA-g-PP also diminished the water absorption in the composites. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 2014. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers

Natural fibers used as reinforcement in composite materials present specific mechanical properties, which are comparable to glass fibers. In addition, they have the advantage of being renewable and recyclable. However, their main drawback is their inherent susceptibility to moisture expansion, which has the effect of inducing a decrease in mechanical properties, and of debonding in the composite. In this study, lignocellulosic fibers from newspapers were modified with acetic anhydride, NaOH, and KMnO4 in order to enhance the interfacial adhesion between polyvinylchloride (PVC) matrix and the newspaper fibers. Composites samples were prepared with different treated fibers at the same loading (20 wt%). X-ray and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the fiber's surfaces. The mechanical, morphological, and thermal properties of PVC/newspaper composites were also studied. Moreover, the maximum improvement in the mechanical properties (tensile strength) was obtained for the permanganate treated PVC/newspaper composites. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 2014. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers

This work studied the poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) chemically modified with maleic anhydride (MA) through reactions in solution, using benzoyl peroxide as an initiator. Quantities of the grafted MA were determined by the titration of carboxylic acid groups derived from the anhydride functions. Estimation of the grafted MA level was also performed by using IR absorbance ratio. Increases in reaction time led to higher levels of grafted MA. The effects of three different PVCs grafted with maleic anhydride (PVC-g-MAs) types on the morphological, mechanical, and thermal properties of PVC/alfa (fiber) composites were examined. The interfacial properties between fiber and PVC were improved after the addition of PVC-g-MA, as was evident from SEM morphology study. Enhancements of the mechanical properties and thermal stability of the PVC-g-MA-treated composites were strongly dependent on the amount of MA grafts. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 19:225–232, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers