Larissa Stieven Montagna, Isabela CÉSAR Oyama, Rita de CÁSSIA Barbosa Camargo Lamparelli, Ana Paula Silva, THAÍS Larissa do Amaral Montanheiro, Ana Paula Lemes^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.2, pp. 117-128, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.00036

Abstract Biodegradable polymers have been increasingly used for scientific and commercial applications because they are similar to some conventional thermoplastics and exhibit the ability of self-degradation. Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) nanocomposites films with 1 and 2 wt% of carbon nanotubes (CNT) were prepared by solution mixing, followed by solvent evaporation. In this work, PHBV/CNT nanocomposites were submitted to biodegradation in an aqueous medium for 34 days through a respirometric system. Then, the PHBV films were analyzed by the CO2 production and mineralization as a response of a microbial attack, which was monitored by back titration during all the… More >

Samir Kamel^1,*, Ahmed A. Haroun², Amany M. El-Nahrawy³, Mohamed A. Diab¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.2, pp. 193-203, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.00144

Abstract In this work, conducting composites of nanocellulose (NC)/polypyrrole nanoparticles (NPPy) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), i.e., NC/NPPyAg, were synthesized for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, via in situ emulsion polymerization of pyrrole in the presence of surfactant dopants. The AgNPs acted as an oxidizing agent to simultaneously incorporate nanoparticles into the prepared composites. The structures and morphologies of the prepared composites were studied using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis Spectra, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) techniques. Additionally, the prepared composites were characterized More >

B. Benobeidallah¹, A. Benhamida¹, A. Dorigato^2,*, A. Sola³, M. Messori³, A. Pegoretti²

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.1, pp. 89-102, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.00136

Abstract Various amounts (up to 10 wt%) of palygorskite nanofibers functionalized by 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) coupling agent were used to reinforce polyamide 11 nanocomposites prepared by melt compounding. The covalent bonding of the silane on the palygorskite surface was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. X-ray diffraction revealed the retention of the α-form of polyamide crystals upon the addition of both natural and silane treated palygorskite nanorods. All the investigated nanocomposites showed an improvement of the thermal stability, especially when surface treated palygorskite nanofibers were considered. Tensile tests and dynamic mechanical thermal analyses on the prepared More >

Kahina Iggui^1,2,*,†, Mustapha Kaci², Nicolas Le Moigne¹, Anne Bergeret¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.6, No.3, pp. 288-298, 2018, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2017.634184

Abstract The effects of accelerated photooxidation on the molecular weight and thermal and mechanical properties of Cast PHBV and PHBV/Cloisite 30B (3 wt%) bionanocomposites are investigated herein. Through size exclusion chromatography (SEC) analysis, a significant decrease in both weight and number average molecular weights was observed for all irradiated samples over time, resulting from the chain scission mechanism. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) data indicated a decrease in degree of crystallinity and melting temperature after UV exposure, with the appearance of double melting peaks related to the changes in the crystal structure of PHBV. Thermal stability, tensile More >

Weijun Yang^1†, Xiaomin Zhao^2†, Elena Fortunati¹, Franco Dominici¹, Jose M. Kenny¹, Debora Puglia^1*, De-Yi Wang^2*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.5, No.5, pp. 423-434, 2017, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2017.634146

Abstract Presented herein is a deep investigation of the fire, mechanical and thermal performances of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-based nanocomposites, which were obtained by combining cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) with various contents of N,N’-diallyl-phenylphosphoricdiamide (P-AA) via a two-steps masterbatch melt extrusion process (glycidyl methacrylate grafting on PLA and CNC premixing with PLA). Results have shown that the value of the limiting oxygen index (LOI) increased to 28.8% and a V-0 rating in UL94 test was obtained when 2 wt% of P-AA was added in the presence of cellulose nanocrystals (3 wt%). The incorporation of CNC induced a decrease More >

Liqing Wei¹, Shupin Luo², Armando G. McDonald², Umesh P. Agarwal¹, Kolby C. Hirth¹, Laurent M. Matuana³, Ronald C. Sabo^1* , Nicole M. Stark^1*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.5, No.5, pp. 410-422, 2017, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2017.634144

Abstract Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are renewable and sustainable filler for polymeric nanocomposites. However, their high hydrophilicity limits their use with hydrophobic polymer for composite materials. In this study, freeze-dried CNCs were modified by transesterification with canola oil fatty acid methyl ester to reduce the hydrophilicity. The transesterified CNCs (CNCFE) were compounded with PLA into nanocomposites. CNCFE with long-chain hydrocarbons plays a role as plasticizer. Increasing CNCFE loadings resulted in clear plasticizing effects. Lower Tg and Tm were achieved for CNCFE-based nanocomposites. Plasticizing nanocomposite melt with CNCFE can mitigate the degradation of CNCs during thermal processing. The More >

Arun Kumar Pradhan^1,2*, Prafulla Kumar Sahoo¹, Pradeep Kumar Rana²

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.5, No.5, pp. 371-379, 2017, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2017.634129

Abstract Chitosan grafted with poly(methyl-methacrylate) (PMMA) and adsorbed with kaolin functionalized as bioadhesive was prepared via emulsion polymerization technique and physiochemically characterized as a bone-graft substitute. The so prepared grafted bioactive bone cement (BBC) bionanocomposites (BNCs), chitosan-g-PMMA/kaolin, was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The water uptake, retention ability and the nanosize particle arrangement in the polymeric BBC-BNCs were studied along with the mechanical and biodegradation properties. These preliminary investigations of the BNCs will open the door for their use in bioadhesive More >

F. Luzi¹, E. Fortunati^1*, A. Jiménez², D. Puglia¹, A. Chiralt², L. Torre¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.5, No.2, pp. 103-115, 2017, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634135

Abstract Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) based nanocomposites reinforced with 1 wt% of surfactant-modified cellulose nanocrystals (s-CNC) extracted from Posidonia oceanica plant waste and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) at different concentrations (0.1 and 0.5 wt%) were prepared by solvent casting process. Their thermal, morphological, optical, mechanical and water vapor permeability properties were investigated. Tensile testing showed increased values for strength and deformation at break in PLA based formulations reinforced with s-CNC and ZnO NPs as a consequence of better nanofiller dispersion compared to binary films reinforced only with ZnO NPs. Moreover, the effect of s-CNC and ZnO More >

Jithin Joy^1,2,3, Cintil Jose³, Srirama B. Varanasi⁴, Lovely Mathew P.^2,3, Sabu Thomas², Srikanth Pilla^1,5*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.5, pp. 351-364, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634128

Abstract Isora nanofibers (INF) were produced by a combined thermal-chemical-mechanical method from Helicteres isora plant. The resulting fibers were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, which showed a network-like structure with a length of 600 nm, width of 50 nm and an aspect ratio of 12. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that chemical treatments progressively removed noncellulosic constituents. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that crystallinity increased with successive chemical treatments. Using the synthesized isora nanofibers, poly(butylene succinate) (PBS)-based biodegradable nanocomposites were prepared. The nanocomposites were processed using a Brabender twin-screw compounder and an injection… More >

Jose Luis Orellana, Michael Mauhar, Christopher L. Kitchens^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.5, pp. 340-350, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634126

Abstract Polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the most widely used biodegradable polymers due to the ability to synthesize it economically at industrial scale and its favorable properties for many consumer products. However, the rigid nature of PLA is not desirable for specific applications, requiring the incorporation of effective bioderived additives in order to enhance the PLA toughness and broaden applications. In this work, PLA was modified by graft polymerization of polyacrylic acid (PLA-g-PAA) to increase the hydrophilicity to promote compatibilization of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) or high molecular polyethylene glycol (PEG). CNCs were found to act More >