Журнал Сибирского федерального университета: Серия Биология (Sep 2019)

Thermal and Mechanical Studies of Biofiller/Poly-3-Hydroxybutyrate Biocomposites

  • Evgeniy G. Kiselev,
  • Andrew P. Kuzmin,
  • Ivan V. Nemtsev

DOI
https://doi.org/10.17516/1997-1389-0304
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 3
pp. 302 – 310

Abstract

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Biodegradable poly-3-hydroxybutyrate [P(3HB)] and birch wood flour (as filler) were used to prepare powdered blends and then pellets and granules. Pellets were produced by cold pressing of polymer and filler powders; granules were produced from the powders wetted with ethanol. The properties of the initial P(3HB) and filler and the blends thereof were studied using IR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray analysis, and electron microscopy. No chemical bonds between the components were revealed; the blends were physical mixtures. The degree of crystallinity of the blends was lower than that of the initial polymer, suggesting different crystallization kinetics of the blends. The introduction of increasing amounts of filler into the polymer progressively decreased the mechanical strength of the pellets, as confirmed by a decrease in Young’s modulus. The resulting composite, based on biodegradable polymers and wood flour, is a promising nontoxic material for the production of wood-based panels for the construction industry and the manufacture of furniture in place of materials produced using toxic polyester resins

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