Open Access
EDITORIAL
Open Access
REVIEW
Talita M. Lacerda1,2,*, Alessandro Gandini1,2
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.1, pp. 2-12, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2013.634127
Abstract The inevitable future scarcity of fossil resources, coupled with sustainability considerations, have stimulated
the use of renewable resources for material synthesis, and highly effi cient polymerization methods that meet
the requirements of green chemistry have drawn attention to fatty acid-based polymers. Additionally, the
polymerization of furan monomers and the exploitation of some of the chemical peculiarities of the furan
heterocycle have generated a wide diversity of macromolecular materials. A novel approach is reviewed
here, calling upon the combined use of both vegetable oils and their derivatives together with furans, as a
promising technique to obtain new materials from two renewable… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
L. Poussard1,*, A. Mecheri1, J. Mariage1, I. Barakat1, L. Bonnaud1, J.-M. Raquez1,2, P. Dubois1,2
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.1, pp. 13-22, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2013.634132
Abstract Biobased oligo(butylene succinate)-based thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) were prepared following a twostep polymerization process: condensation of succinic acid and butanediol and the chain extension of resulting
hydroxyl-terminated butylene succinate oligomers (OBS) in the presence of butanediol as chain extender and
isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) as coupling agent. Mechanical and thermal properties of the elaborated TPUs
were evaluated in terms of hard segment and compared with those of commercial polybutylene succinate
(PBS), Bionolle 1001. Whatever the compositions, the ultimate tensile properties of OBS-based TPUs and
Bionolle 1001 were found to exhibit similar values (εr
≈ 400%, σr
≈ 40 MPa), which can be… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
Alicia Mujica-Garcia1,2, Iván Navarro-Baena1, José Maria Kenny1,2, Laura Peponi2,*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.1, pp. 23-34, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2013.634130
Abstract The main aim of this research is the production of different biopolymeric fi bers by electrospinning and the
determination of the optimum working parameters for each polymer analyzed. In particular, three different
biopolymers have been studied: poly(lactic acid) (PLA), poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and a synthesized
poly(ester-urethane) based on a synthesized PLA-b-PCL-b-PLA tri-block copolymer. This research is focused
on the analysis of the infl uence of the processing parameters, such as the concentration and fl ow-rate of the
polymer solution and the applied voltage, as well as the physico-chemical properties of the polymers used,
on the fi ber formation and crystallization behavior.… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
Vu Thanh Phuong1,2, Steven Verstichel3, Patrizia Cinelli1,4, Irene Anguillesi1, Maria-Beatrice Coltelli1, Andrea Lazzeri1,*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.1, pp. 35-41, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2013.634136
Abstract Cellulose acetate (CDA) cannot be processed as raw material because it starts to decompose before
melting. Triacetin and diacetin were tested to improve CDA processing versus conventional phthalate as
environmentally sustainable plasticizers, because of their low toxicity and fast biodegradability. The addition
of triacetin and diacetin allowed melt processing of CDA and the results of tensile tests outlined their effect
as plasticizers. The values of mechanical properties were compatible with the requirements for applications
in rigid packaging. From the results of biodegradation tests it can be concluded that for pure cellulose
acetate, complete biodegradation was obtained within 200 days of… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
A. Terenzi1, A. Iannoni1, L. Torre1, A. Jiménez2,*, J.M. Kenny1
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.1, pp. 42-51, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634101
Abstract The development of new nano-biocomposites has been one of the main research areas of interest in
polymer science in recent years, since they can combine the intrinsic biodegradable nature of matrices
with the ability to modify their properties by the addition of selected nano-reinforcements. In this work,
the addition of mineral nanoclays (montmorillonites and sepiolites) to a commercial starch-based matrix is
proposed. A complete study on their processing by melt-intercalation techniques and further evaluation of
the main properties of nano-biocomposites has been carried out. The results reported show an important
infl uence of the nano-biocomposites morphology on their fi nal… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
Philippe Evon1,2,*, Ika A. Kartika3, Luc Rigal1,2
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.1, pp. 52-65, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2013.634131
Abstract The infl uence of thermo-pressing conditions on the mechanical properties of particleboards obtained from
Jatropha press cakes was evaluated in this study. Conditions such as molding temperature and press cake oil
content were included. All particleboards were cohesive, with proteins and fibers acting respectively as binder
and reinforcing fillers. Generally, it was the molding temperature that most affected particleboard mechanical
properties. The most resistant boards were obtained using 200°C molding temperature. Glass transition of
proteins then occurred during molding, resulting in effective wetting of the fi bers. At this optimal molding
temperature, the best compromise between fl exural properties (7.2… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
D. Puglia*, R. Petrucci, E. Fortunati, F. Luzi, J.M. Kenny, L. Torre
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.1, pp. 66-76, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2013.634134
Abstract Posidonia Oceanica waste was used as reinforcement in a polyethylene matrix and the obtained composites
were characterised by a tensile test and morphological analysis. The fi brous material derived from P. Oceanica
wastes was characterised by morphological, thermal and chemical analysis, and a subsequent treatment with
sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at different weight content (2, 5 and 10 wt%) was considered as an optimised
method for surface modifi cation of pristine fi bres (PO). The TGA analysis and morphological investigation
of the treated fi bres selected the 5 wt% of NaOH as the best treatment. Matrix compatibilisation with maleic
anhydride grafted… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
S.K. Pankaj1, C. Bueno-Ferrer1, N.N. Misra1, L. O’Neill2, A. Jiménez3, P. Bourke1, P.J. Cullen1,4,*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.1, pp. 77-84, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2013.634129
Abstract The effects of dielectric barrier discharge plasma treatment on zein fi lm containing thymol as an active
ingredient were evaluated. The plasma discharge was optically characterized to identify the reactive species.
A signifi cant increase in the fi lm roughness (p < 0.05) was observed due to the etching effect of DBD plasma,
which was correlated with the increase in the diffusion rate of thymol in the food simulant. The diffusion of
thymol from the zein fi lm was measured in aqueous solution. The kinetics of thymol release followed the
Fick’s law of diffusion as shown by the high correlation… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
Supakij Suttiruengwong1,*, Kanchana Sotho1, Manus Seadan2
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.1, pp. 85-92, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2013.634135
Abstract A one-step process in an internal mixer was used to prepare Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS)/high-loading
modifi ed tapioca starch (30–40 wt%) blends with low glycerol content (10–20 wt% of starch) as a plasticizer. To
promote a good compatibility, two reactive agents, maleic anhydride (MA)/peroxide and methylene diphenyl
diisocyanate (MDI), were selected and compared. The mechanical properties, morphology, and Molau test of
the blends were investigated. The compatibility of PBS/starch blends was improved by both reactive agents
at the suitable plasticizer loading (glycerol 10 wt% of starch). It was demonstrated that increasing mechanical
properties resulted in good adhesion of PBS/starch interface and… More >
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