Shuang Zhao¹, Shenglan Chen², Shuan Ren¹, Gang Li³, Ke Song^1,4, Jie Guo^1,4, Shima Liu^1,4, Jian He^1,4, Xianwu Zhou^1,4,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.11, No.6, pp. 2531-2553, 2023, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2023.026066

Abstract Petroleum-based materials, such as plastic, are characterized by adverse environmental pollution; as a result, researchers have sought alternative degradable plastics that are environmentally friendly, such as polylactic acid (PLA). PLA has shown great potential to replace petroleum-based plastics. In this study, seven different samples of unmodified Pueraria lobata root powder (PRP) with different contents (i.e., 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 wt%) and three different modified PRPs (i.e., treated with NaOH, NaOH-KH-550, and Formic) were used to reinforce polylactic acid (PLA) via solution casting process. These prepared PRP/PLA composite films were characterized using SEM, FTIR, UV-visible spectra analysis,… More > Graphic Abstract

Galia Moreno, Karla Ramirez, Marianelly Esquivel, Guillermo Jimenez*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.1, pp. 9-20, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.00017

Abstract Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) composite films reinforced with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) extracted from pineapple leaf fibers (PALF) were prepared by a solution casting procedure. In an attempt to improve the interaction between PLA and cellulose, two approaches were adopted; first, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was used as a surfactant, and second, the cellulosic fibers were pre-treated using tert-butanol (TBA). Lignocellulosic and cellulosic substrates were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS), and thermogravimetrical analysis (TGA). MCC from PALF showed good thermal stability, left few residues after decomposing, and exhibited high crystallinity index. Mechanical, thermal and thermomechanical properties of the… More >