Home / Journals / JRM / Vol.2, No.1, 2014
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  • Open AccessOpen Access

    EDITORIAL

    Editorial

    Alfonso Jiménez
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.1, pp. 1-1, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634102
    Abstract This article has no abstract. More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    REVIEW

    Marriage of Furans and Vegetable Oils through Click Chemistry for the Preparation of Macromolecular Materials: A Succinct 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 AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Synthesis of Oligo(butylene succinate)-based Polyurethanes: Infl uence of the Chemical Structure on Thermal and Mechanical Properties

    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 AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Influence of the Processing Parameters on the Electrospinning of Biopolymeric Fibers

    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 AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Cellulose Acetate Blends – Effect of Plasticizers on Properties and Biodegradability

    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 AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Processing and Characterization of Nano-biocomposites Based on Mater-Bi® with Layered Silicates

    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 AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    New Renewable and Biodegradable Particleboards from Jatropha Press Cakes

    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 AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Revalorisation of Posidonia Oceanica as Reinforcement in Polyethylene/Maleic Anhydride Grafted Polyethylene Composites

    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 AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Surface, Thermal and Antimicrobial Release Properties of Plasma-Treated Zein Films

    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 AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Effect of Glycerol and Reactive Compatibilizers on Poly(butylene succinate)/Starch Blends

    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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