Comparative Evaluation of the Stiffness of Abaca-Fiber-Reinforced Bio-Polyethylene and High Density Polyethylene Composites

The use of bio-based matrices together with natural fibers as reinforcement is a strategy for obtaining materials with competitive mechanical properties, costs, and environmental impacts. However, bio-based matrices, unknown by the industry, can be a market entry barrier. The use of bio-polyethylene...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Séculi, Faust, Espinach Orús, Xavier, Julián Pérez, Fernando, Delgado Aguilar, Marc, Mutjé Pujol, Pere, Tarrés Farrés, Joaquim Agustí
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2023
Country:España
Institution:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repository:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:10256/22782
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10256/22782
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Biopolímers
Biopolymers
Fibres naturals
Plant fibers
Micromecànica
Micromechanics
Description
Summary:The use of bio-based matrices together with natural fibers as reinforcement is a strategy for obtaining materials with competitive mechanical properties, costs, and environmental impacts. However, bio-based matrices, unknown by the industry, can be a market entry barrier. The use of bio-polyethylene, which has properties similar to polyethylene, can overcome that barrier. In this study, composites reinforced with abaca fibers used as reinforcement for bio-polyethylene and high density polyethylene are prepared and tensile tested. A micromechanics analysis is deployed to measure the contributions of the matrices and reinforcements and to measure the evolution of these contributions regarding AF content and matrix nature. The results show that the mechanical properties of the composites with bio-polyethylene as a matrix were slightly higher than those of the composites with polyethylene as a matrix. It was also found that the contribution of the fibers to the Young’s moduli of the composites was susceptible to the percentage of reinforcement and the nature of the matrices. The results show that it is possible to obtain fully bio-based composites with mechanical properties similar to those of partially bio-based polyolefin or even some forms of glass fiber-reinforced polyolefin