Preparation and Characterizations of Polycaprolactone/Green Coconut Fiber Composites

摘要

The mechanical, thermal, and morphologi-cal properties of polycaprolactone (PCL) and green coco-nut fiber (GCF) composites were evaluated. Blendscontaining acrylic acid-grafted PCL (PCL-g-AA/GCF)exhibited noticeably better mechanical properties due tobetter compatibility between the two components. The dis-persion of GCF in the PCL-g-AA matrix was significantlymore homogeneous due to the creation of branched andcross-linked macromolecules via reactions between car-boxyl groups in PCL-g-AA and hydroxyl groups in GCF.The tensile strength of the PCL-g-AA/GCF composites at break was considerably greater than that of PCL/GCFcomposites. In addition, the PCL-g-AA/GCF blend wasmore easily processed due to lower melt viscosity. Biode-gradation tests were performed with each composite in anAcinetobacter baumannii BCRC 15556 environment. Themass of both composites was reduced by the GCF content within 4 weeks.