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Khan SH, Dhakal HN, Saifullah A, Zhang Z. Improved Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Date Palm Microfiber-Reinforced PCL Biocomposites for Rigid Packaging. Molecules 2025; 30:857. [PMID: 40005170 PMCID: PMC11857997 DOI: 10.3390/molecules30040857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2024] [Revised: 02/06/2025] [Accepted: 02/10/2025] [Indexed: 02/27/2025] Open
Abstract
To increase the use of agricultural residues, such as date palm fibers, for the sustainable reinforcement of biocomposites, this study investigated the incorporation of varying weight percentages of date palm microfibers (DPMF) ranging from 0 wt.% to 10 wt.% into polycaprolactone (PCL) matrix. Biocomposites were fabricated using a combination of compression molding and dry blending techniques with and without sodium hydroxide (NaOH) alkali treatment. The surface modification was found to increase the surface roughness of the fibers, removing impurities such as lignin, hemicellulose, and wax, while improving crystallinity, as evidenced by FTIR, XRD, TGA, and particle size analyses. Among the different biocomposites investigated, the results for 5 wt.% DPMF content biocomposites exhibited the highest tensile properties: approximately 20% increase in tensile strength and 164% increase in Young's Modulus in comparison to neat PCL. The crystallinity of the matrix exhibited an increasing trend from approximately 39% for neat PCL to 43% for the 5 wt.% DPMF biocomposites. Furthermore, treated biocomposites demonstrated higher water-repellency behavior and improved thermal properties. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) results indicated enhanced storage moduli for alkali-treated composites; at 35 °C, the storage modulus showed approximately 22% increase compared to the untreated DPMF biocomposites, reflecting improved stiffness and thermomechanical performances. This study highlights the potential of DPMF as an efficient, eco-friendly alternative to fossil-based conventional reinforcement for biocomposite materials' potential for sustainable rigid packaging applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hom N. Dhakal
- Portsmouth Centre for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (PCAMM), School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 3DJ, UK; (S.H.K.); (A.S.); (Z.Z.)
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Sonmez M, Pelin CE, Pelin G, Rusu B, Stefan A, Stelescu MD, Ignat M, Gurau D, Georgescu M, Nituica M, Oprea OC, Motelica L, Waśniewski B, Ortyl P, Trușcă RD. Development, Testing, and Thermoforming of Thermoplastics Reinforced with Surface-Modified Aramid Fibers for Cover of Electronic Parts in Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Using 3D-Printed Molds. Polymers (Basel) 2024; 16:2136. [PMID: 39125163 PMCID: PMC11314249 DOI: 10.3390/polym16152136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
This paper presents the development, characterization, and testing of PP/PE-g-MA composites with 10 and 15 wt% surface-modified aramid fibers, and aluminum-based pigment, as covers for a small drone body for collision protection. The successful fiber surface modification with SiO2 by the sol-gel method using TEOS was confirmed by FTIR, SEM, and EDS analyses. The composites were characterized by FTIR and SEM analyses and surface energy and water contact angle measurements and tested in terms of tensile, flexural, impact, and thermal properties. The materials exhibited hydrophobic character and compact and uniform morphostructures, with increased surface energy with fiber content owed to improved adhesion between modified fibers and the matrix. Compared to the control sample, composites with modified fibers showed an increase by 20% in tensile strength, and 36-52% in the modulus, and an increase by 26-33% in flexural strength and 30-47% in the modulus, with higher values at room temperature. Impact resistance of modified fiber composites showed an increase by 20-40% compared to the control sample, due to improved interaction between SiO2-modified fibers and maleic anhydride, which inhibits crack formation, allowing higher energies' absorption. The composites were vacuum-thermoformed on 3D-printed molds as a two-part cover for the body of a drone, successfully withstanding the flight test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Sonmez
- INCDTP-ICPI—National Research and Development Institute for Textile and Leather—Division Leather and Footwear Research Institute, Ion Minulescu St. 93, 031215 Bucharest, Romania; (M.S.); (M.D.S.); (M.I.); (D.G.); (M.G.); (M.N.)
| | - Cristina-Elisabeta Pelin
- INCAS—National Institute for Aerospace Research “Elie Carafoli”, Bd. Iuliu Maniu 220, 061126 Bucharest, Romania; (G.P.); (B.R.); (A.S.)
| | - George Pelin
- INCAS—National Institute for Aerospace Research “Elie Carafoli”, Bd. Iuliu Maniu 220, 061126 Bucharest, Romania; (G.P.); (B.R.); (A.S.)
| | - Bogdan Rusu
- INCAS—National Institute for Aerospace Research “Elie Carafoli”, Bd. Iuliu Maniu 220, 061126 Bucharest, Romania; (G.P.); (B.R.); (A.S.)
| | - Adriana Stefan
- INCAS—National Institute for Aerospace Research “Elie Carafoli”, Bd. Iuliu Maniu 220, 061126 Bucharest, Romania; (G.P.); (B.R.); (A.S.)
| | - Maria Daniela Stelescu
- INCDTP-ICPI—National Research and Development Institute for Textile and Leather—Division Leather and Footwear Research Institute, Ion Minulescu St. 93, 031215 Bucharest, Romania; (M.S.); (M.D.S.); (M.I.); (D.G.); (M.G.); (M.N.)
| | - Madalina Ignat
- INCDTP-ICPI—National Research and Development Institute for Textile and Leather—Division Leather and Footwear Research Institute, Ion Minulescu St. 93, 031215 Bucharest, Romania; (M.S.); (M.D.S.); (M.I.); (D.G.); (M.G.); (M.N.)
| | - Dana Gurau
- INCDTP-ICPI—National Research and Development Institute for Textile and Leather—Division Leather and Footwear Research Institute, Ion Minulescu St. 93, 031215 Bucharest, Romania; (M.S.); (M.D.S.); (M.I.); (D.G.); (M.G.); (M.N.)
| | - Mihai Georgescu
- INCDTP-ICPI—National Research and Development Institute for Textile and Leather—Division Leather and Footwear Research Institute, Ion Minulescu St. 93, 031215 Bucharest, Romania; (M.S.); (M.D.S.); (M.I.); (D.G.); (M.G.); (M.N.)
| | - Mihaela Nituica
- INCDTP-ICPI—National Research and Development Institute for Textile and Leather—Division Leather and Footwear Research Institute, Ion Minulescu St. 93, 031215 Bucharest, Romania; (M.S.); (M.D.S.); (M.I.); (D.G.); (M.G.); (M.N.)
| | - Ovidiu-Cristian Oprea
- Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu St., 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (O.-C.O.); (L.M.)
- Academy of Romanian Scientists, 3 Ilfov St., 050044 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ludmila Motelica
- Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu St., 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (O.-C.O.); (L.M.)
| | - Bartłomiej Waśniewski
- Centre for Composite Technologies, Lukasiewicz Research Network—Institute of Aviation, Krakowska 110/114, 02-256 Warsaw, Poland; (B.W.); (P.O.)
| | - Paweł Ortyl
- Centre for Composite Technologies, Lukasiewicz Research Network—Institute of Aviation, Krakowska 110/114, 02-256 Warsaw, Poland; (B.W.); (P.O.)
| | - Roxana Doina Trușcă
- National Centre for Micro and Nanomaterials and National Centre for Food Safety, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania;
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