Renewable Resource-Based Green Composites from Recycled Cellulose Fiber and Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) Bioplastic

• Published in: Biomacromolecules 2006-06, Vol.7 (6), p.2044-2051
• Main Authors: Bhardwaj, Rahul, Mohanty, Amar K, Drzal, L. T, Pourboghrat, F, Misra, M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biopolymers - chemistry; Calorimetry, Differential Scanning - methods; Cellulose - chemistry; Composites; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Materials Testing; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning - methods; Molecular Structure; Molecular Weight; Particle Size; Polyesters - chemistry; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Polypropylenes - chemistry; Sensitivity and Specificity; Technology of polymers; Temperature; Tensile Strength; Thermogravimetry - methods
• ISSN: 1525-7797; 1526-4602
• DOI: 10.1021/bm050897y

Novel “green” composites were successfully fabricated from recycled cellulose fibers (RCF) and a bacterial polyester, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) by melt mixing technique. Various weight contents (15%, 30%, and 40%) of the fibers were incorporated in the PHBV matrix. The effect of the fiber weight contents on the thermal, mechanical, and dynamic−mechanical thermal properties of PHBV was investigated and a comparative property analysis was performed with RCF-reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites. The tensile and storage moduli of the PHBV-based composites were improved by 220% and 190%, respectively, by reinforcement with 40 wt % RCF. Halpin−Tsai and Tsai−Pagano's equations were applied for the theoretical modeling of the tensile modulus of PHBV-based composites. The heat deflection temperature (HDT) of the PHBV-based composites was increased from 105 to 131 °C, while the coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE) value was reduced by 70% upon reinforcement with 40 wt % RCF. The PHBV-based composites had also shown better tensile and storage moduli and lower CLTE values than PP-based composites. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to study the melting behavior, thermal stability, and morphology of the composite systems, respectively.