Published in

Elsevier, Polymer Degradation and Stability, (108), p. 212-222, 2014

DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2014.06.010

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Hydrothermal ageing of polylactide/sisal biocomposites. Studies of water absorption behaviour and Physico-Chemical performance

This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Orange circle
Postprint: archiving restricted
Red circle
Published version: archiving forbidden
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

An accelerated hydrothermal degrading test was designed in order to analyse the synergic effect of water and temperature on PLA/sisal biocomposites with and without coupling agent. As well, the physicochemical properties of biocomposites were monitored along the hydrothermal test by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy, Size Exclusion Chromatography and Differential Scanning Calorimetry. The addition of fibre induced higher water absorption capability and promoted physical degradation, as observed in the surface topography. During the processing of biocomposites and throughout the hydrothermal ageing, a reduction of molecular weight due to chain scission was found. As a consequence, a faster formation of crystalline domains in the PLA matrix occurred the higher the amount of fibre was, which acted as a nucleating agent. Higher crystallinity was considered as a barrier against the advance of penetrant and a reduction in the diffusion coefficient was shown. The addition of coupling agent presented a different influence depending on the composition, showing an inflection point around 20% of sisal fibre.