Manufacture of biodegradable material based on thermoplastic polymers combined with short flax fibers

The present study analyzes the characteristics and the parameters necessary for the manufacture of a biodegradable composite material through the processes of extrusion, crushing and injection in order to optimize the mechanical properties of the composite material obtained. The thermoplastic polyme...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Calderón Freire, Edisson Fernando, Torres Gallegos, Luis, Ortega Espín, Andrés
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2019
País:Ecuador
Institución:Universidad Central del Ecuador
Repositorio:Revista FIGEMPA: Investigación y Desarrollo
Idioma:español
OAI Identifier:oai:revistadigital.uce.edu.ec:article/1402
Acceso en línea:https://revistadigital.uce.edu.ec/index.php/RevFIG/article/view/1402
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:extrusión
inyección
biocompuesto
pla
phbv
extrusion
injection
biocomposite
Descripción
Sumario:The present study analyzes the characteristics and the parameters necessary for the manufacture of a biodegradable composite material through the processes of extrusion, crushing and injection in order to optimize the mechanical properties of the composite material obtained. The thermoplastic polymers used as polymer matrix are polylactic acid (PLA), Poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and a thermoplastic with starch base. Also, short flax fiber was used as reinforcement, with a length less than 3mm in length. The process of obtaining the composite material begins with the transformation of the biopolymer mixture combined with flax fiber, in a twin screw extruder for thermoplastics, where a filament of bio-composite material is obtained, which is crushed to obtain granulated material or pellets; the next process has been to transform the pellets of the composite material, by injection, into rectangular sheets with dimensions of 180 x 200 mm and thickness of 2.5 mm. To process the material in the mixing screw of the extruder, the melting temperature of the material must be maintained according to the study carried out in the differential scanning calorimetry tests. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), shows a range of temperatures where heat flow peaks occur, this test consists in progressively raising the temperature of the material and comparing the exothermic or endothermic processes present in the material, with this test they are obtained the glass transition, melting and degradation temperatures of the thermoplastic matrix, the appropriate handling values were: PLA (167.16 ° C), PHBV (178.62 ° C) and Starch Compound (142.71 ° C) , the parameters of temperature and pressure of injection are determined, these variables are essential to guarantee the manufacture of the different samples of composite material and in later stages destructive tests are carried out to examine the result in the mechanical properties of the biodegradable composite material.