Evelien Uitterhaegen^1,2, Quang Hung Nguyen^1,2, Othmane Merah^1,2, Christian V. Stevens³, Thierry Talou^1,2, Luc Rigal^1,2, Philippe Evon^1,2*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.3, pp. 225-238, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2015.634120

Abstract New fiberboards were manufactured from a coriander cake through thermo-pressing, and the influence of thermo-pressing conditions (temperature, pressure and time) on the boards’ mechanical properties, their thickness swelling and their water absorption was evaluated. Because the protein glass transition systematically occurred during molding, this resulted in effective wetting of the fibers. Consequently, all boards were cohesive, with proteins and fibers acting as binder and reinforcing fillers, respectively. Flexural properties were influenced by all tested conditions, and the optimal board was molded at 200 °C temperature, 36.8 MPa pressure and 180 s time. Its flexural strength at break and its elastic… More >

Mercedes Echegaray¹, Gurutz Mondragon¹, Loli Martin², Alba González³, Cristina Peña-Rodriguez¹, Aitor Arbelaiz^1*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.3, pp. 206-214, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634106

Abstract Organic rodlike cellulose nanocrystals extracted from sisal fibers and inorganic montmorillonite based on silicate layers were employed to develop bionanocomposites based on gelatin matrix. Bionanocomposites with cellulose nanocrystal, montmorillonite and both nanoreinforcements combined were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Tensile properties and oxygen and water vapor gas permeability values were determined to study the influence of the addition of nanoreinforcements, different in nature, to gelatin matrix. Bionanocomposites with montmorillonite improved tensile strength but systems reinforced with nanocellulose showed lower tensile strength than neat gelatin ones. Oxygen gas permeability values decreased for all bionanocomposites,… More >

D. Puglia^1*, F. Dominici¹, M. Badalotti², C. Santulli³, J.M. Kenny¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.3, pp. 199-205, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634102

Abstract In this work, cocoa bean shells (CBS), which were ground, then sieved to less than 150 μm and dried in a vacuum oven, have been introduced in a polycaprolactone (PCL) matrix in three different amounts, 10, 20 and 30% wt. The obtained composites were tested under tensile loading, which indicated an enhanced rigidity with a slight decrease of strength with respect to the neat polymer and a reduced elongation, particularly evident for composites with 30 wt% CBS, where final collapse took place for strains only slightly exceeding the yielding point. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicated a rather negligible variation of… More >

F. Luzi, E. Fortunati^*, D. Puglia, R. Petrucci, J.M. Kenny, L. Torre

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.3, pp. 190-198, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2015.634134

Abstract In this research, the revalorization of Posidonia oceanica leaf sea waste was studied and the acid hydrolysis processing times were modulated in order to optimize the extraction of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). The obtained CNCs were deeply investigated. A two-step treatment was applied to extract cellulose nanocrystals from Posidonia oceanica leaves. First, a chemical treatment leads to the removal of lignin and production of holocellulose, while the second chemical process of acid hydrolysis allows the obtainment of cellulose nanocrystals in aqueous suspension. The unbleached and bleached leaves and cellulose nanocrystals were characterized by using thermogravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy and morphological investigation;… More >

Karina Cruz-Aldaco¹, Erika Flores-Loyola², Cristóbal Noé Aguilar-González¹, Nuria Burgos³, Alfonso Jiménez^3*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.3, pp. 178-184, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634107

Abstract The use of vegetable oils to replace fossil feedstock has become an area of opportunity and a priority for study in the field of polymer science. Vegetable oils are considered as renewable resources with high potential, low cost and full availability. The aim of this study is the synthesis of biobased polyols from cottonseed oil (Gossypium barbadanse) and corn oil (Zea mays) as feedstock. Their synthesis was successfully performed, as can be concluded from the determination of their hydroxyl index as well as the structural and thermal characterization carried out in this work. Polyurethanes from biobased polyols were synthesized with… More >

Estefanía Lidón Sánchez-Safont¹, Jennifer González-Ausejo¹, José Gámez-Pérez¹, José María Lagarón², Luis Cabedo^1*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.2, pp. 123-132, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2015.634127

Abstract Novel biodegradable composites based on poly(3-hydroxybutirate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and different contents of purifi ed alpha-cellulose fi bers (3, 10, 25 and 45%) were prepared by melt blending and characterized. The composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) experiments, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanic analysis (DMA) and Shore D hardness measurements. Disintegrability under composting conditions was studied according to the ISO 20200 standard. Morphological results showed that high dispersion of the fi bers was achieved during mixing. Good adhesion on the fi ber-matrix interface was also detected by SEM. The addition of low… More >

Estela Krause Sammartino^1,2,3†, María Marta Reboredo⁴, Mirta I. Aranguren^*,4

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.2, pp. 101-112, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634144

Abstract Composites made from polypropylene (PP) and local South American fibers traditionally used in yarnderived craftsmanships, Caranday Palm, were studied regarding the effect of fiber addition, concentration and characteristics of the coupling agent (molecular weight and percentage of grafted maleic anhydride), as well as type of processing. A laboratory-scale intensive mixing followed by compression, and pilot plant twin extrusion followed by injection, were the two processes investigated. The use of the first one allowed the selection of processable formulations with high fiber concentration and a percentage of coupling agent below the surface fiber saturation. In fact, it was found that there… More >

Aleksander Prociak^*, Elźbieta Malewska, Szymon Bąk

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.1, pp. 78-85, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2015.634129

Abstract In this article, the results of the foaming process analysis of fl exible polyurethane with different isocyanate indexes are presented. Two types of flexible polyurethane foams (FPURF) were obtained: (1) by using petrochemical components and a rapeseed-oil-based polyol (used in the amount of 20 wt%), (2) by using petrochemical components and cellulose as a natural fi ller in the amount of 3 php (per hundred parts of polyol). The characteristic parameters of the foaming process, such as the foam’s growth velocity, the core temperature and dielectric polarization, were measured using a Foamat device. Moreover, the following properties of flexible polyurethane… More >

Isabel Patrícia Fernandes¹, Mariana Barbosa¹, Joana Soares Amaral², Vera Pinto³, José Luís Rodrigues³, Maria José Ferreira³, Maria Filomena Barreiro^1*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.1, pp. 47-56, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2015.634126

Abstract Among the wide variety of materials employed in the manufacture of shoes, thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) are one of the most widely used. Given its widespread use, and associated waste management problems, the development of more biodegradable and evironmentally compatible solutions is needed. In this work, a polyester-based TPU used in the footwear industry for outsoles production was modifi ed by compounding with lignin, starch and cellulose at content of 4% (w/w). The biodegradability was evaluated by using agar plate tests with the fungi Aspergillus niger ATCC16404, the Gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC9027 and an association of both (consortium), and soil… More >

Dragomir Vassilev^1*, Nadezhda Petkova², Milena Koleva¹, Panteley Denev²

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.1, pp. 24-30, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2015.634125

Abstract This article presents the results obtained by the ultrasound-assisted synthesis of sucrose and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) esters with fatty acids (palmitic and 10-undecylenic), the identifi cation of the products and the study of their possible application as plasticizers in plastics processing. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H and ¹³C NMR) spectroscopy were used to identify the synthesized carbohydrate esters. The plasticizing effect of the sucrose palmitate applied in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was evaluated by the glass transition temperatures; the decrease of the T_g with the increase of the ester content could be accepted as confi rmation of… More >