Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Eco-friendly Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Films with Surface Treated Bagasse Fibers

Journal Article · Sat Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 2018 · Journal of Polymers and the Environment

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/S10924-018-1270-Z· OSTI ID:22787967

Guo, Gaiping; Xiang, Aimin; Tian, Huafeng ^[1]

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1. Donghua University and School of Material and Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials (China)

Bagasse fibers reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composite films were successfully prepared by solution casting method. To enhance the dispersing effect of the fillers, alkali treatment of the plant fibers was adopted before the fabrication of composites. The structure and properties of the resulting composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, mechanical tests, water uptake and thermal stability in detail. The results showed that bagasse fibers after surface modification exhibited good compatibility with PVA matrix. The increased polarity as well as the roughness would be beneficial to the interaction and mechanical interlocking between the fiber and matrix. Acting as the heterogeneous nucleation agents, the fibers could enhance the degree of crystallization and decrease the supercooling degrees of PVA matrix. The fibers exhibited dramatically reinforcing effect in the matrix, and with the increase of fiber, the Young’s modulus and tensile yield stress increased. The Young’s modulus and tensile yield stress of composites with 8% filler would be 3 and 2 times compared with neat PVA films. The thermal stability decreased a little and the water uptake increased with the increase of filler content. These composite films would find wide applications in green packaging areas for their fine mechanical and thermal properties.

• OSTI ID: 22787967
• Journal Information: Journal of Polymers and the Environment, Journal Name: Journal of Polymers and the Environment Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 26; ISSN 1566-2543
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
FIBERS
FILMS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MECHANICAL TESTS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
STABILITY
STRESSES
SUPERCOOLING
X-RAY DIFFRACTION