Novel Green Composites from Recycled NewspaperFibers and Poly(hydroxyalkanoates)

摘要

Biobased/green composites were successfully developed from low cost recyclednewspaper fibers and a poly(hydroxyalkanoate) I.e. poly(3-hydroxybutyarate), PHBby extrusion followed by injection molding process. Such biobased/greencomposites were fabricated having 30 and 40wt% of recycled newspaper fibercontents. The recycled newspaper fiber reinforced polypropylene (PP) basedcomposites were also developed having similar fiber loadings. Mechanical, thermal,thermo-mechanical and morphological properties of PHB based composites wereevaluated and a comparative property analysis was performed with PP basedcomposites. Tensile modulus of PHB was improved by about 93 and 150% at 30and 40 wt% of recycled newspaper fiber contents respectively. At 40wt% ofrecycled newspaper fiber content, the PHB based composites had shown superiortensile modulus (3.5 Gpa) as contrast to PP based composite (3.0 Gpa). The heatdeflection temperature (HDT) of neat PHB matrix was improved by about 49% onreinforcement with 40 wt% newspaper fiber. The coefficient of linear thermalexpansion (CLTE) of PHB reduced by 60% on reinforcement of 40 wt% of recyclednewspaper fiber contents. The PHB based composite had shown superior heatdeflection temperature (HDT) and lower coefficient of linear thermal expansion(CLTE) values than that of PP based composites. The morphology of PHB basedcomposites had also shown better dispersion of fiber, lesser fiber pullouts andcavity formations as compared to PP based composites.