1
|
Aguado RJ, Saguer E, Fiol N, Tarrés Q, Delgado-Aguilar M. Pickering emulsions of thyme oil in water using oxidized cellulose nanofibers: Towards bio-based active packaging. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 263:130319. [PMID: 38387632 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
The antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of thyme essential oil (TEO) are useful for active food packaging, but its poor aqueous solubility restricts its applications. This work involves anionic cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) as the sole stabilizing agent for TEO-in-water emulsions, with oil concentrations ranging from 10 mL/L to 300 mL/L. A double mechanism was proposed: the adsorption of CNFs at oil/water interfaces restricted coalescence to a limited extent, while thickening (rheological stabilization) was required to avoid the buoyance of large droplets (>10 μm). Thickening effects comprised both higher viscosity (over 0.1 Pa·s at 10 s-1) and yield stress (approximately 0.9 Pa). Dilute emulsions had good film-forming capabilities, whereas concentrated emulsions were suitable for paper coating. Regarding antimicrobial activity, CNF-stabilized TEO-in-water emulsions successfully inhibited the growth of both Gram-negative (E. coli, S. typhimurium) and Gram-positive bacteria (L. monocytogenes). As for the antioxidant properties, approximately 50 mg of paper or 3-5 mg of film per mL of food simulant D1 were required to attain 50 % inhibition in radical scavenging tests. Nonetheless, despite the stability and the active properties of these bio-based hydrocolloids, providing this antioxidant and antimicrobial activity was incompatible with maintaining the organoleptic properties of the foodstuff unaltered.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto J Aguado
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS research group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; Department of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Elena Saguer
- Department of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Núria Fiol
- Department of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS research group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; Department of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS research group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; Department of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Mazega A, Signori-Iamin G, Aguado RJ, Tarrés Q, Ramos LP, Delgado-Aguilar M. Enzymatic pretreatment for cellulose nanofiber production: Understanding morphological changes and predicting reducing sugar concentration. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127054. [PMID: 37769759 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Enzymatic pretreatment plays a crucial role in producing cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) before fibrillation. While previous studies have explored how treatment severity affects CNF characteristics, there remains a lack of suitable parameters to monitor real-time enzymatic processes and fully comprehend the link between enzymatic action, fibrillation, and CNF properties. This study focuses on evaluating the impact of enzyme charge (using a monocomponent endoglucanase) and treatment time on cellulose fiber morphology and reducing sugar generation. For the first time, a random forest (RF) model is developed to predict reducing sugar concentration based on easily measurable process conditions (e.g., stirrer power consumption) and fiber/suspension characteristics like fines content and apparent viscosity. Polarized light optical microscopy was found to be a suitable technique to evaluate the morphological changes that fibers experience during enzymatic pretreatment. The research also revealed that endoglucanases initially induce surface fibrillation, releasing fine fibers into the suspension, followed by fiber swelling and shortening. Furthermore, the effect of enzymatic pretreatment on resulting CNF characteristics was studied at two fibrillation intensities, indicating that a high enzyme charge and short treatment times (e.g., 90 min) are sufficient to produce CNFs with a nanofibrillation yield of 19-23 % and a cationic demand ranging from 220 to 275 μeq/g. This work introduces a well-modeled enzymatic pretreatment process, unlocking its potential and reducing uncertainties for future upscaling endeavors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- André Mazega
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Giovana Signori-Iamin
- Graduate Program in Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Roberto J Aguado
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Luiz P Ramos
- Graduate Program in Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Alonso-Montemayor FJ, Espinach FX, Tarrés Q, Alcalà M, Delgado-Aguilar M, Mutjé P. The Evolution of the Intrinsic Flexural Strength of Jute Strands after a Progressive Delignification Process and Their Contribution to the Flexural Strength of PLA-Based Biocomposites. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 16:37. [PMID: 38201704 PMCID: PMC10781118 DOI: 10.3390/polym16010037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Biocomposites from poly-(lactic acid) (PLA) and jute strands were prepared, and their flexural strength was analyzed. Jute strands were submitted to a progressive delignification process and the resulting morphology, composition, and crystallinity index were evaluated. Then, PLA biocomposites comprising 30 wt% of jute strands were produced and characterized under flexural conditions. The delignification processes decreased the lignin content and progressively increased the cellulose content. All this resulted in an enhancement of the composite flexural strength. A modified rule of mixtures, and the relation between tensile and flexural properties were used to determine the intrinsic flexural strength (of the jute strands) and their correlation with their physic-chemical characteristics. Equations correlating the intrinsic flexural strength with the crystallinity index, the cellulose content, and the microfibril angle were proposed. These equations show the impact of these properties over the intrinsic properties of the fibers and can help researchers to select appropriate fibers to obtain accurate properties for the composites. Jute strands show their value as reinforcement by increasing the flexural strength of the matrix by 70% and being less expensive and more environmentally friendly than mineral reinforcements. Together with the profitability and the environmental advantages, the mechanical results suggest that these PLA biocomposites are suitable for specific products of different market sectors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J. Alonso-Montemayor
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (F.X.E.); (Q.T.); (M.A.); (M.D.-A.)
| | | | | | | | | | - Pere Mutjé
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (F.X.E.); (Q.T.); (M.A.); (M.D.-A.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Balea A, Monte MC, Fuente E, Sanchez-Salvador JL, Tarrés Q, Mutjé P, Delgado-Aguilar M, Negro C. Fit-for-Use Nanofibrillated Cellulose from Recovered Paper. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2023; 13:2536. [PMID: 37764564 PMCID: PMC10535746 DOI: 10.3390/nano13182536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
The cost-effective implementation of nanofibrillated cellulose (CNF) at industrial scale requires optimizing the quality of the nanofibers according to their final application. Therefore, a portfolio of CNFs with different qualities is necessary, as well as further knowledge about how to obtain each of the main qualities. This paper presents the influence of various production techniques on the morphological characteristics and properties of CNFs produced from a mixture of recycled fibers. Five different pretreatments have been investigated: a mechanical pretreatment (PFI refining), two enzymatic hydrolysis strategies, and TEMPO-mediated oxidation under two different NaClO concentrations. For each pretreatment, five high-pressure homogenization (HPH) conditions have been considered. Our results show that the pretreatment determines the yield and the potential of HPH to enhance fibrillation and, therefore, the final CNF properties. These results enable one to select the most effective production method with the highest yield of produced CNFs from recovered paper for the desired CNF quality in diverse applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Balea
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, University Complutense of Madrid, Avda Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain (E.F.)
| | - M. Concepcion Monte
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, University Complutense of Madrid, Avda Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain (E.F.)
| | - Elena Fuente
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, University Complutense of Madrid, Avda Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain (E.F.)
| | - Jose Luis Sanchez-Salvador
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, University Complutense of Madrid, Avda Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain (E.F.)
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 6, 17003 Girona, Spain (P.M.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Pere Mutjé
- LEPAMAP Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 6, 17003 Girona, Spain (P.M.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 6, 17003 Girona, Spain (P.M.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Carlos Negro
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, University Complutense of Madrid, Avda Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain (E.F.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Bastida GA, Tarrés Q, Aguado R, Delgado-Aguilar M, Zanuttini MÁ, Galván MV. Flocculation of Cellulose Microfiber and Nanofiber Induced by Chitosan-Xylan Complexes. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2023; 13:2420. [PMID: 37686928 PMCID: PMC10489922 DOI: 10.3390/nano13172420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the key factors influencing the rheological behavior and the mechanisms of natural polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) as flocculation agents for cellulose microfibers (CMFs) and nanofibers (CNFs). PECs were formed by combining two polyelectrolytes: xylan (Xyl) and chitosan (Ch), at different Xyl/Ch mass ratios: 60/40, 70/30, and 80/20. First, Xyl, Ch, and PEC solutions were characterized by measuring viscosity, critical concentration (c*), rheological parameter, ζ-potential, and hydrodynamic size. Then, the flocculation mechanisms of CMF and CNF suspensions with PECs under dynamic conditions were studied by measuring viscosity, while the flocculation under static conditions was examined through gel point measurements, floc average size determination, and ζ-potential analysis. The findings reveal that PEC solutions formed with a lower xylan mass ratio showed higher intrinsic viscosity, higher hydrodynamic size, higher z-potential, and a lower c*. This is due to the high molecular weight, charge, and gel-forming ability. All the analyzed solutions behave as a typical non-Newtonian shear-thinning fluid. The flocculation mechanisms under dynamic conditions showed that a very low dosage of PEC (between 2 and 6 mg PEC/g of fiber) was sufficient to produce flocculation. Under dynamic conditions, an increase in viscosity indicates flocculation at this low PEC dosage. Finally, under static conditions, maximum floc sizes were observed at the same PEC dosage where minimum gel points were reached. Higher PEC doses were required for CNF suspensions than for CMF suspensions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Adriana Bastida
- Institute of Cellulosic Technology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering (FIQ-CONICET), National University of the Litoral, Santiago del Estero 2654, Santa Fe S3000AOJ, Argentina; (G.A.B.); (M.Á.Z.); (M.V.G.)
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (R.A.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (R.A.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Roberto Aguado
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (R.A.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (R.A.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Miguel Ángel Zanuttini
- Institute of Cellulosic Technology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering (FIQ-CONICET), National University of the Litoral, Santiago del Estero 2654, Santa Fe S3000AOJ, Argentina; (G.A.B.); (M.Á.Z.); (M.V.G.)
| | - María Verónica Galván
- Institute of Cellulosic Technology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering (FIQ-CONICET), National University of the Litoral, Santiago del Estero 2654, Santa Fe S3000AOJ, Argentina; (G.A.B.); (M.Á.Z.); (M.V.G.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Bayés G, Aguado RJ, Tarrés Q, Planella J, Delgado-Aguilar M. Stabilization of Beeswax-In-Water Dispersions Using Anionic Cellulose Nanofibers and Their Application in Paper Coating. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2023; 13:2353. [PMID: 37630938 PMCID: PMC10459156 DOI: 10.3390/nano13162353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Beeswax is a bio-sourced, renewable, and even edible material that stands as a convincing option to provide paper-based food packaging with moisture resistance. Nonetheless, the difficulty of dispersing it in water limits its applicability. This work uses oxidized, negatively charged cellulose nanofibers along with glycerol to stabilize beeswax-in-water emulsions above the melting point of the wax. The synergistic effects of nanocellulose and glycerol granted the stability of the dispersion even when it cooled down, but only if the concentration of nanofibers was high enough. This required concentration (0.6-0.9 wt%) depended on the degree of oxidation of the cellulose nanofibers. Rheological hindrance was essential to prevent the buoyancy of beeswax particles, while the presence of glycerol prevented excessive aggregation. The mixtures had yield stress and showed pseudoplastic behavior at a high enough shear rate, with their apparent viscosity being positively influenced by the surface charge density of the nanofibers. When applied to packaging paper, the nanocellulose-stabilized beeswax suspensions not only enhanced its barrier properties towards liquid water (reaching a contact angle of 96°) and water vapor (<100 g m-2 d-1), but also to grease (Kit rating: 5) and airflow (>1400 Gurley s). While falling short of polyethylene-coated paper, this overall improvement, attained using only one layer of a biobased coating suspension, should be understood as a step towards replacing synthetic waxes and plastic laminates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Genís Bayés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (G.B.); (Q.T.); (M.D.-A.)
- Noel Alimentària SAU, Pla de Begudà, 17857 Begudà, Spain;
| | - Roberto J. Aguado
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (G.B.); (Q.T.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (G.B.); (Q.T.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Jaume Planella
- Noel Alimentària SAU, Pla de Begudà, 17857 Begudà, Spain;
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (G.B.); (Q.T.); (M.D.-A.)
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Najahi A, Tarrés Q, Delgado-Aguilar M, Putaux JL, Boufi S. High-Lignin-Containing Cellulose Nanofibrils from Date Palm Waste Produced by Hydrothermal Treatment in the Presence of Maleic Acid. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:3872-3886. [PMID: 37523756 PMCID: PMC10428168 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Lignin-containing cellulose nanofibrils (LCNFs) have attracted great attention because the presence of lignin brought additional merits to cellulose nanofibrils including hydrophobicity, ultraviolet (UV)-shielding capacity, and reduced water sensitivity. In the present work, LCNFs with lignin content up to 21 wt % were prepared with a high yield exceeding 70 wt %, from neat date palm waste, by a hydrothermal treatment (HTT) at 120-150 °C in the presence of 20-30 wt % maleic acid, followed by high-pressure homogenization. The chemical composition, degree of polymerization, morphology, and colloidal and rheological properties of the LCNFs were investigated to understand how the HTT in the presence of MA affected the properties of the resulting LCNFs. Nanopapers prepared from the LCNF suspensions exhibited mechanical properties lower than those from lignin-free CNF-based nanopapers, yet with decreased hydrophilicity. A mechanism explaining how the HTT in the presence of MA facilitated the disintegration of the biomass into nanoscale material was proposed. Overall, the present work demonstrated a feasible and scalable approach for the sustainable production of LCNF suspensions from neat agricultural residues, with a high yield and a high lignin content, without any need to perform a preliminary partial delignification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amira Najahi
- University of
Sfax, LMSE, Faculty of Science, BP 802, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS
Research Group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany,
61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS
Research Group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany,
61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Jean-Luc Putaux
- Univ.
Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CERMAV, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Sami Boufi
- University of
Sfax, LMSE, Faculty of Science, BP 802, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Seculi F, Julián F, Llorens J, Espinach FX, Mutjé P, Tarrés Q. Methodologies to Evaluate the Micromechanics Flexural Strength Properties of Natural-Fiber-Reinforced Composites: The Case of Abaca-Fiber-Reinforced Bio Polyethylene Composites. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:3137. [PMID: 37514525 PMCID: PMC10385690 DOI: 10.3390/polym15143137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
There is growing emphasis on developing green composites as a substitute for oil-based materials. In the pursuit of studying and enhancing the mechanical properties of these composites, tensile tests are predominantly employed, often overlooking the flexural properties. This study focuses on researching the flexural properties of abaca-fiber-reinforced bio-based high-density polyethylene (BioPE) composites. Specifically, composites containing 30 wt% of abaca fiber (AF) were treated with a coupling agent based on polyethylene functionalized with maleic acid (MAPE). The test results indicate that incorporating 8 wt% of the coupling agent significantly improved the flexural strength of the composites. Thereafter, composites with AF content ranging from 20 to 50 wt% were produced and subjected to flexural testing. It was observed that flexural strength was positively correlated with AF content. A micromechanics analysis was conducted to evaluate the contributions of the phases. This analysis involved assessing the mechanical properties of both the reinforcement and matrix to facilitate the modeling of flexural strength. The findings of this study demonstrate the feasibility of replacing oil-based matrices, such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), with fully bio-based composites that exhibit comparable flexural properties to their oil-based counterparts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Faust Seculi
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Fernando Julián
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Joan Llorens
- CATS Research Group, Department of Architecture and Construction Engineering, University of Girona, Avda Mª Aurelia Capmany 61, 17071 Girona, Spain
| | | | - Pere Mutjé
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Aguado RJ, Bastida GA, Espinach FX, Llorens J, Tarrés Q, Delgado-Aguilar M, Mutjé P. Comparative Study on the Stiffness of Poly(lactic acid) Reinforced with Untreated and Bleached Hemp Fibers. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:2960. [PMID: 37447605 DOI: 10.3390/polym15132960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Composite materials containing natural reinforcement fibers, generally called biocomposites, have attracted the interest of both researchers and manufacturers, but the most environmentally advantageous combinations include a bio-based matrix, as well. With this in mind, a poly(lactic acid) (PLA) matrix was reinforced with natural fibers from hemp, both untreated strands (UHSs) and soda-bleached fibers (SBHFs). The preparation of the subsequent fully bio-sourced, discontinuously reinforced composites involved kinetic mixing, intensive single-screw extrusion, milling, and injection molding. Up to a fiber content of 30 wt%, the tensile modulus increased linearly with the volume fraction of the dispersed phase. Differences between SBHFs (up to 7.6 Gpa) and UHSs (up to 6.9 Gpa) were hardly significant (p = 0.1), but SBHF-reinforced composites displayed higher strain at failure. In any case, for the same fiber load (30 wt%), the Young's modulus of PLA/hemp biocomposites was greater than that of glass fiber (GF)-reinforced polypropylene (5.7 GPa), albeit lower than that of PLA/GF (9.8 GPa). Considering all the measurements, the contribution of each phase was analyzed by applying the Hirsch model and the Tsai-Pagano model. As a concluding remark, although the intrinsic tensile modulus of SBHFs was lower than that of GF, the efficiency of those natural fibers as reinforcement (according to the rule of mixtures) was found to be higher.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto J Aguado
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Gabriela A Bastida
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
- Instituto de Tecnología Celulósica, FIQ-CONICET, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santiago del Estero 2654, Santa Fe S3000AOJ, Argentina
| | - Francisco X Espinach
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Joan Llorens
- CATS Research Group, Department of Architecture and Construction Engineering, University of Girona, Avda Mª Aurelia Capmany 61, 17071 Girona, Spain
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Pere Mutjé
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Seculi F, Espinach FX, Julián F, Delgado-Aguilar M, Mutjé P, Tarrés Q. Evaluation of the Interface Strength in the Abaca-Fiber-Reinforced Bio-Polyethylene Composites. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:2686. [PMID: 37376332 DOI: 10.3390/polym15122686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Bio-based polymers, with any of their constituents based on nonrenewable sources, can answer the demands of society and regulations regarding minimizing the environmental impact. The more similar such biocomposites are to oil-based composites, the easier the transition, especially for companies that do not like the uncertainty. A BioPE matrix, with a structure similar to that of a high-density polyethylene (HDPE), was used to obtain abaca-fiber-reinforced composites. The tensile properties of these composites are displayed and compared with commercial glass-fiber-reinforced HDPE. Since the strength of the interface between the reinforcements and the matrix is responsible for the exploitation of the strengthening abilities of the reinforcements, several micromechanical models were used to obtain an estimation of the strength of the interface and the intrinsic tensile strength of the reinforcements. Biocomposites require the use of a coupling agent to strengthen their interface, and once an 8 wt.% of such coupling agent was added to the composites, these materials returned tensile properties in line with commercial glass-fiber-reinforced HDPE composites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Faust Seculi
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | | | - Fernando Julián
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | | | - Pere Mutjé
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Arfelis S, Aguado RJ, Civancik D, Fullana-I-Palmer P, Pèlach MÀ, Tarrés Q, Delgado-Aguilar M. Sustainability of cellulose micro-/nanofibers: A comparative life cycle assessment of pathway technologies. Sci Total Environ 2023; 874:162482. [PMID: 36858230 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Cellulose micro- and nanofibers (CNFs) are commonly regarded as "greener" than petro-based materials. The high energy input that their production still demands, along with the use of chemicals or heat in some pretreatments, asks for a critical view. This paper attempts a life cycle assessment of CNFs produced from bleached hardwood kraft pulp via three different pre-treatments before mechanical homogenization. First, a fully mechanical route, based on a Valley beating pre-treatment. Second, an enzymatic route, based on endoglucanases and requiring certain temperature (~50 °C). Third, a TEMPO-mediated oxidation route, considering not only the impact of the chemical treatment itself but also the production of TEMPO from ammonia and acetone. The main output of the study is that both, mechanical and TEMPO-mediated oxidation routes, present lower impacts than the enzymatic pre-treatment. Although the mechanical route presents slightly milder contributions to climate change, acidification, eutrophication, and other indicators, saying that TEMPO-mediated oxidation is environmentally unfeasible should be put under question. After all, and despite being disregarded in most assessment publications up to date, it is the only well-known way to selectively oxidize primary hydroxyl groups and thus producing kinds of CNFs that are unthinkable by other ways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Arfelis
- UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change ESCI-UPF, Passeig de Pujades, 1, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Roberto J Aguado
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61-17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Didem Civancik
- UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change ESCI-UPF, Passeig de Pujades, 1, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Pere Fullana-I-Palmer
- UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change ESCI-UPF, Passeig de Pujades, 1, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - M Àngels Pèlach
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61-17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61-17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61-17003 Girona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Espinach FX, Tarrés Q. Polymer Composite Analysis and Characterization. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15081812. [PMID: 37111958 PMCID: PMC10143730 DOI: 10.3390/polym15081812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In the original article [...].
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesc X Espinach
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
- Serra Hunter Programme Fellowship, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Aguado RJ, Mazega A, Fiol N, Tarrés Q, Mutjé P, Delgado-Aguilar M. Durable Nanocellulose-Stabilized Emulsions of Dithizone/Chloroform in Water for Hg 2+ Detection: A Novel Approach for a Classical Problem. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2023; 15:12580-12589. [PMID: 36821826 PMCID: PMC9999351 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c22713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The use of dithizone (DTZ) for colorimetric heavy-metal detection is approximately one century old. However, its pending stability issues and the need for simple indicators justify further research. Using cellulose nanofibers, we attained DTZ-containing emulsions with high stability. These emulsions had water (at least 95 wt %) and acetic acid (1-8 mL/L) conforming the continuous phase, while dispersed droplets of diameter <1 μm contained chloroform-solvated DTZ (3 wt %). The solvation cluster was computed by molecular dynamics simulations, suggesting that chloroform slightly reduces the dihedral angle between the two sides of the thiocarbazone chain. Nanocellulose concentrations over 0.2 wt % sufficed to obtain macroscopically homogeneous mixtures with no phase separation. Furthermore, the rate of degradation of DTZ in the nanocellulose-stabilized emulsion did not differ significantly from a DTZ/chloroform solution, outperforming DTZ/toluene and DTZ/acetonitrile. Not only is the emulsion readily and immediately responsive to mercury(II), but it also decreases interferences from other ions and from natural samples. Unexpectedly, neither lead(II) nor cadmium(II) triggered a visual response at trace concentrations. The limit of detection of these emulsions is 15 μM or 3 mg/L, exceeding WHO limits for mercury(II) in drinking water, but they could be effective at raising alarms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto J. Aguado
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS
Research Group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany,
61, 17003 Girona, Spain
- Department
of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - André Mazega
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS
Research Group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany,
61, 17003 Girona, Spain
- Department
of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Núria Fiol
- Department
of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS
Research Group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany,
61, 17003 Girona, Spain
- Department
of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Pere Mutjé
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS
Research Group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany,
61, 17003 Girona, Spain
- Department
of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS
Research Group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany,
61, 17003 Girona, Spain
- Department
of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Aguado RJ, Espinach FX, Julián F, Tarrés Q, Delgado-Aguilar M, Mutjé P. Tensile Strength of Poly(lactic acid)/Bleached Short Hemp Fiber Fully Green Composites as Replacement for Polypropylene/Glass Fiber. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 15:polym15010146. [PMID: 36616497 PMCID: PMC9823908 DOI: 10.3390/polym15010146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The compatibility between poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and natural fibers to develop bio-sourced, recyclable, and biodegradable composites remains a commonplace issue. This work highlights that, at least in the case of hemp, pulping and bleaching towards delignified short fibers attained remarkable improvements over untreated hemp strands. This approach differs from usual proposals of chemically modifying hydroxyl groups. Soda-bleached hemp fibers (SBHFs) granted a relatively large bonding surface area and a satisfactory quality of the interphase, even in the absence of any dispersant or compatibilizer. To attain satisfactory dispersion, the matrix and the fibers were subjected to kinetic mixing and to a moderately intensified extrusion process. Then, dog-bone specimens were prepared by injection molding. Up to a fiber content of 30 wt.%, the tensile strength increased linearly with the volume fraction of the dispersed phase. It reached a maximum value of 77.8 MPa, signifying a relative enhancement of about 52%. In comparison, the tensile strength for PLA/hemp strands was 55.7 MPa. Thence, based on the modified rule of mixtures and the Kelly & Tyson modified equation, we analyzed this performance at the level of the constituent materials. The interfacial shear strength (over 28 MPa) and other micromechanical parameters were computed. Overall, this biocomposite was found to outperform a polypropylene/sized glass fiber composite (without coupling agent) in terms of tensile strength, while fulfilling the principles of green chemistry.
Collapse
|
15
|
Najahi A, Tarrés Q, Mutjé P, Delgado-Aguilar M, Putaux JL, Boufi S. Lignin-Containing Cellulose Nanofibrils from TEMPO-Mediated Oxidation of Date Palm Waste: Preparation, Characterization, and Reinforcing Potential. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2022; 13:nano13010126. [PMID: 36616036 PMCID: PMC9824203 DOI: 10.3390/nano13010126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Lignin-containing cellulose nanofibrils (LCNFs) have emerged as a new class of nanocelluloses where the presence of residual lignin is expected to impart additional attributes such as hydrophobicity or UV-absorption. In the present work, LCNFs with a lignin content between 7 and 15 wt% were prepared via a TEMPO-mediated oxidation as chemical pretreatment followed by high-pressure homogenization. The impact of the carboxyl content (CC) on the properties of the resulting LCNF gel, in terms of lignin content, colloidal properties, morphology, crystallinity, and thermal stability, were investigated. It was found that lignin content was significantly decreased at increasing CC. In addition, CC had a positive effect on colloidal stability and water contact angle, as well as resulting in smaller fibrils. This lower size, together with the lower lignin content, resulted in a slightly lower thermal stability. The reinforcing potential of the LCNFs when incorporated into a ductile polymer matrix was also explored by preparing nanocomposite films with different LCNF contents that were mechanically tested under linear and non-linear regimes by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and tensile tests. For comparison purposes, the reinforcing effect of the LCNFs with lignin-free CNFs was also reported based on literature data. It was found that lignin hinders the network-forming capacity of LCNFs, as literature data shows a higher reinforcing potential of lignin-free CNFs. Nonetheless, the tensile strength of the acrylic matrix was enhanced by 10-fold at 10 wt% of LCNF content.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amira Najahi
- LMSE, Faculty of Science, University of Sfax, Sfax BP 802–3018, Tunisia
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61–17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Pere Mutjé
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61–17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61–17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Jean-Luc Putaux
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CERMAV, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Sami Boufi
- LMSE, Faculty of Science, University of Sfax, Sfax BP 802–3018, Tunisia
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Tarrés Q, Aguado R, Zoppe JO, Mutjé P, Fiol N, Delgado-Aguilar M. Dynamic Light Scattering Plus Scanning Electron Microscopy: Usefulness and Limitations of a Simplified Estimation of Nanocellulose Dimensions. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2022; 12:4288. [PMID: 36500912 PMCID: PMC9739265 DOI: 10.3390/nano12234288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Measurements of nanocellulose size usually demand very high-resolution techniques and tedious image processing, mainly in what pertains to the length of nanofibers. Aiming to ease the process, this work assesses a relatively simple method to estimate the dimensions of nanocellulose particles with an aspect ratio greater than 1. Nanocellulose suspensions, both as nanofibers and as nanocrystals, are subjected to dynamic light scattering (DLS) and to field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The former provides the hydrodynamic diameter, as long as the scatter angle and the consistency are adequate. Assays with different angles and concentrations compel us to recommend forward scattering (12.8°) and concentrations around 0.05-0.10 wt %. Then, FE-SEM with magnifications of ×5000-×20,000 generally suffices to obtain an acceptable approximation for the actual diameter, at least for bundles. Finally, length can be estimated by a simple geometric relationship. Regardless of whether they are collected from FE-SEM or DLS, size distributions are generally skewed to lower diameters. Width distributions from FE-SEM, in particular, are well fitted to log-normal functions. Overall, while this method is not valid for the thinnest fibrils or for single, small nanocrystals, it can be useful in lieu of very high-resolution techniques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
- Department of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Roberto Aguado
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
- Department of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Justin O. Zoppe
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya (UPC), 08019 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pere Mutjé
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
- Department of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Núria Fiol
- Department of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
- Department of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Tarrés Q, Aguado R, Domínguez-Robles J, Larrañeta E, Delgado-Aguilar M. Valorization of Kraft Lignin from Black Liquor in the Production of Composite Materials with Poly(caprolactone) and Natural Stone Groundwood Fibers. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14235178. [PMID: 36501573 PMCID: PMC9735539 DOI: 10.3390/polym14235178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of new materials is currently focused on replacing fossil-based plastics with sustainable materials. Obtaining new bioplastics that are biodegradable and of the greenest possible origin could be a great alternative for the future. However, there are some limitations-such as price, physical properties, and mechanical properties-of these bioplastics. In this sense, the present work aims to explore the potential of lignin present in black liquor from paper pulp production as the main component of a new plastic matrix. For this purpose, we have studied the simple recovery of this lignin using acid precipitation, its thermoplastification with glycerin as a plasticizing agent, the production of blends with poly(caprolactone) (PCL), and finally the development of biocomposite materials reinforcing the blend of thermoplastic lignin and PCL with stone groundwood fibers (SGW). The results obtained show that thermoplastic lignin alone cannot be used as a bioplastic. However, its combination with PCL provided a tensile strength of, e.g., 5.24 MPa in the case of a 50 wt.% blend. In addition, when studying the properties of the composite materials, it was found that the tensile strength of a blend with 20 wt.% PCL increased from 1.7 to 11.2 MPa with 40 wt.% SGW. Finally, it was proven that through these biocomposites it is possible to obtain a correct fiber-blend interface.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
- Correspondence:
| | - Roberto Aguado
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Juan Domínguez-Robles
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Lisburn Road 97, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Eneko Larrañeta
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Lisburn Road 97, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Mazega A, Tarrés Q, Aguado R, Pèlach MÀ, Mutjé P, Ferreira PJT, Delgado-Aguilar M. Improving the Barrier Properties of Paper to Moisture, Air, and Grease with Nanocellulose-Based Coating Suspensions. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2022; 12:nano12203675. [PMID: 36296865 PMCID: PMC9609131 DOI: 10.3390/nano12203675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Food packaging manufacturers often resort to lamination, typically with materials which are neither non-biodegradable nor biobased polymers, to confer barrier properties to paper and cardboard. The present work considers a greener solution: enhancing paper’s resistance to moisture, grease, and air by aqueous coating suspensions. For hydrophobization, a combined approach between nanocellulose and common esterifying agents was considered, but the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) remained excessively high for the goal of wrapping moisture-sensitive products (>600 g m−2 d−1). Nonetheless, oil-repellant surfaces were effectively obtained with nanocellulose, illite, sodium alginate, and/or poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), reaching Kit ratings up to 11. Regarding air resistance, mineral-rich coatings attained values above 1000 Gurley s. In light of these results, nanocellulose, minerals, PVA, pullulan, alginate, and a non-ionic surfactant were combined for multi-purpose coating formulations. It is hypothesized that these materials decrease porosity while complementing each other’s flaws, e.g., PVA succeeds at decreasing porosity but has low dimensional stability. As an example, a suspension mostly constituted by nanocellulose, sizing agents, minerals and PVA yielded a WVTR of roughly 100 g m−2 d−1, a Kit rating of 12, and an air resistance above 300 s/100 mL. This indicates that multi-purpose coatings can be satisfactorily incorporated into paper structures for food packaging applications, although not as the food contact layer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- André Mazega
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C. Maria Aurèlia Capmany, n°61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C. Maria Aurèlia Capmany, n°61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Roberto Aguado
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C. Maria Aurèlia Capmany, n°61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Maria Àngels Pèlach
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C. Maria Aurèlia Capmany, n°61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Pere Mutjé
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C. Maria Aurèlia Capmany, n°61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Paulo J. T. Ferreira
- CIEPQPF, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Pólo II, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, C. Maria Aurèlia Capmany, n°61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Aguado R, Tarrés Q, Pèlach MÀ, Mutjé P, de la Fuente E, Sanchez-Salvador JL, Negro C, Delgado-Aguilar M. Micro- and Nanofibrillated Cellulose from Annual Plant-Sourced Fibers: Comparison between Enzymatic Hydrolysis and Mechanical Refining. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2022; 12:nano12091612. [PMID: 35564321 PMCID: PMC9104737 DOI: 10.3390/nano12091612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The current trends in micro-/nanofibers offer a new and unmissable chance for the recovery of cellulose from non-woody crops. This work assesses a technically feasible approach for the production of micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose (MNFC) from jute, sisal and hemp, involving refining and enzymatic hydrolysis as pretreatments. Regarding the latter, only slight enhancements of nanofibrillation, transparency and specific surface area were recorded when increasing the dose of endoglucanases from 80 to 240 mg/kg. This supports the idea that highly ordered cellulose structures near the fiber wall are resistant to hydrolysis and hinder the diffusion of glucanases. Mechanical MNFC displayed the highest aspect ratio, up to 228 for hemp. Increasing the number of homogenization cycles increased the apparent viscosity in most cases, up to 0.14 Pa·s at 100 s−1 (1 wt.% consistency). A shear-thinning behavior, more marked for MNFC from jute and sisal, was evidenced in all cases. We conclude that, since both the raw material and the pretreatment play a major role, the unique characteristics of non-woody MNFC, either mechanical or enzymatically pretreated (low dose), make it worth considering for large-scale processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Aguado
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Carrer Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (Q.T.); (M.À.P.); (P.M.); (M.D.-A.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Carrer Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (Q.T.); (M.À.P.); (P.M.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Maria Àngels Pèlach
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Carrer Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (Q.T.); (M.À.P.); (P.M.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Pere Mutjé
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Carrer Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (Q.T.); (M.À.P.); (P.M.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Elena de la Fuente
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (E.d.l.F.); (J.L.S.-S.); (C.N.)
| | - José L. Sanchez-Salvador
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (E.d.l.F.); (J.L.S.-S.); (C.N.)
| | - Carlos Negro
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (E.d.l.F.); (J.L.S.-S.); (C.N.)
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Carrer Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (Q.T.); (M.À.P.); (P.M.); (M.D.-A.)
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Sanchez-Salvador JL, Campano C, Balea A, Tarrés Q, Delgado-Aguilar M, Mutjé P, Blanco A, Negro C. Critical comparison of the properties of cellulose nanofibers produced from softwood and hardwood through enzymatic, chemical and mechanical processes. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 205:220-230. [PMID: 35182566 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.02.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Current knowledge on the properties of different types of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) is fragmented. Properties variation is very extensive, depending on raw materials, effectiveness of the treatments to extract the cellulose fraction from the lignocellulosic biomass, pretreatments to facilitate cellulose fibrillation and final mechanical process to separate the microfibrils. Literature offers multiple parameters to characterize the CNFs prepared by different routes. However, there is a lack of an extensive guide to compare the CNFs. In this study, we perform a critical comparison of rheological, compositional, and morphological features of CNFs, produced from the most representative types of woody plants, hardwood and softwood, using different types and intensities of pretreatments, including enzymatic, chemical and mechanical ones, and varying the severity of mechanical treatment focusing on the relationship between macroscopic and microscopic parameters. This structured information will be exceedingly useful to select the most appropriate CNF for a certain application based on the most relevant parameters in each case.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jose Luis Sanchez-Salvador
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Campano
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; Department of Microbial and Plant Biotechnology, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Balea
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Quim Tarrés
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, C/M. Aurèlia Campmany 61, 17071 Girona, Spain
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, C/M. Aurèlia Campmany 61, 17071 Girona, Spain
| | - Pere Mutjé
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, C/M. Aurèlia Campmany 61, 17071 Girona, Spain
| | - Angeles Blanco
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Negro
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Tarrés Q, Aguado R, Pèlach MÀ, Mutjé P, Delgado-Aguilar M. Electrospray Deposition of Cellulose Nanofibers on Paper: Overcoming the Limitations of Conventional Coating. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2021; 12:nano12010079. [PMID: 35010029 PMCID: PMC8746688 DOI: 10.3390/nano12010079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 12/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
While the potential of cellulose nanofibers to enhance the mechanical and barrier properties of paper is well-known, there are many uncertainties with respect to how to apply them. In this study, we use not only bulk addition of micro-/nanofibers and bar coating with oxidized nanofibers, but also a combination of these and, as a novel element, electrospray deposition of nanofiber dispersions. Characterization involved testing the strength of uncoated and coated paper sheets, their resistance to air flow, their Bendtsen roughness, and their apparent density, plus visualization of their surface and cross-sections by scanning electron microscopy. As expected, bulk addition to the unrefined pulp was sufficient to attain substantial strengthening, but this enhancement was limited to approximately 124%. Following this, surface addition by bar coating improved air resistance, but not strength, since, as applying nanocellulose at high consistency was technically unfeasible, this was performed several times with detrimental drying stages in between. However, replacing bar coating with electrospraying helped us overcome these apparent limitations, producing enhancements in both barrier and tensile properties. It is concluded that electrosprayed nanofibers, owing to their uniform deposition and favorable interactions, operate as an effective binder between fibers (and/or fines).
Collapse
|
22
|
Kiliç E, Oliver-Ortega H, Tarrés Q, Delgado-Aguilar M, Fullana-i-Palmer P, Puig R. Valorization Strategy for Leather Waste as Filler for High-Density Polyethylene Composites: Analysis of the Thermal Stability, Insulation Properties and Chromium Leaching. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:polym13193313. [PMID: 34641129 PMCID: PMC8512770 DOI: 10.3390/polym13193313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Leather waste (BF) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were compounded in a lab scale internal mixer and processed by means of injection molding. In this study, leather waste and HDPE composites were characterized by instrumental techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermo-gravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Physical integrity of composites against chemical exposure and chromium-leaching properties of the composites were also investigated. This study shows that the incorporation of 30% leather waste fiber into HDPE composites decreases the thermal conductivity of the composite samples by 17% in comparison to that of neat HDPE samples. Composites showed no thermal degradation during processing cycle. Strong interfacial bonding between leather waste and polymer results in comparable low-leachate levels to maximum allowed concentration for nonhazardous waste, and good chemical resistance properties. The BF/HDPE composites could be a promising low-cost alternative in industrial application areas of HDPE, where high-mechanical strength and low-thermal conductivity is required.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eylem Kiliç
- Material Science and Nanotechnology Engineering Department, Usak University, 64200 Usak, Turkey
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +90-276-2212121
| | - Helena Oliver-Ortega
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain; (H.O.-O.); (Q.T.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain; (H.O.-O.); (Q.T.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain; (H.O.-O.); (Q.T.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Pere Fullana-i-Palmer
- UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change ESCI-UPF, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Rita Puig
- ABBU Research Group, Department of Computer Science and Industrial Engineering, Universitat de Lleida (UdL), 08700 Igualada, Spain;
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Serra A, Serra-Parareda F, Vilaseca F, Delgado-Aguilar M, Espinach FX, Tarrés Q. Exploring the Potential of Cotton Industry Byproducts in the Plastic Composite Sector: Macro and Micromechanics Study of the Flexural Modulus. Materials (Basel) 2021; 14:ma14174787. [PMID: 34500877 PMCID: PMC8432489 DOI: 10.3390/ma14174787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The textile sector produces yearly great quantities of cotton byproducts, and the major part is either incinerated or landfilled, resulting in serious environmental risks. The use of such byproducts in the composite sector presents an attractive opportunity to valorize the residue, reduce its environmental impact, and decrease the pressure on natural and synthetic resources. In this work, composite materials based on polypropylene and dyed cotton byproducts from the textile industry were manufactured. The competitiveness of the resulting composites was evaluated from the analyses, at macro and micro scales, of the flexural modulus. It was observed that the presence of dyes in cotton fibers, also a byproduct from the production of denim items, notably favored the dispersion of the phases in comparison with other cellulose-rich fibers. Further, the presence of a coupling agent, in this case, maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene, enhanced the interfacial adhesion of the composite. As a result, the flexural modulus of the composite at 50 wt.% of cotton fibers enhanced by 272% the modulus of the matrix. From the micromechanics analysis, using the Hirsch model, the intrinsic flexural modulus of cotton fibers was set at 20.9 GPa. Other relevant micromechanics factors were studied to evaluate the contribution and efficiency of the fibers to the flexural modulus of the composite. Overall, the work sheds light on the potential of cotton industry byproducts to contribute to a circular economy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Albert Serra
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (A.S.); (F.S.-P.); (M.D.-A.); (F.X.E.)
| | - Ferran Serra-Parareda
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (A.S.); (F.S.-P.); (M.D.-A.); (F.X.E.)
| | - Fabiola Vilaseca
- Advanced Biomaterials and Nanotechnology, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain;
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (A.S.); (F.S.-P.); (M.D.-A.); (F.X.E.)
| | - Francesc X. Espinach
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (A.S.); (F.S.-P.); (M.D.-A.); (F.X.E.)
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (A.S.); (F.S.-P.); (M.D.-A.); (F.X.E.)
- Chair on Sustainable Industrial Processes, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Sanchez-Salvador JL, Campano C, Lopez-Exposito P, Tarrés Q, Mutjé P, Delgado-Aguilar M, Monte MC, Blanco A. Enhanced Morphological Characterization of Cellulose Nano/Microfibers through Image Skeleton Analysis. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2021; 11:nano11082077. [PMID: 34443907 PMCID: PMC8398699 DOI: 10.3390/nano11082077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The present paper proposes a novel approach for the morphological characterization of cellulose nano and microfibers suspensions (CMF/CNFs) based on the analysis of eroded CMF/CNF microscopy images. This approach offers a detailed morphological characterization and quantification of the micro and nanofibers networks present in the product, which allows the mode of fibrillation associated to the different CMF/CNF extraction conditions to be discerned. This information is needed to control CMF/CNF quality during industrial production. Five cellulose raw materials, from wood and non-wood sources, were subjected to mechanical, enzymatic, and (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO)-mediated oxidative pre-treatments followed by different homogenization sequences to obtain products of different morphologies. Skeleton analysis of microscopy images provided in-depth morphological information of CMF/CNFs that, complemented with aspect ratio information, estimated from gel point data, allowed the quantification of: (i) fibers peeling after mechanical pretreatment; (ii) fibers shortening induced by enzymes, and (iii) CMF/CNF entanglement from TEMPO-mediated oxidation. Being mostly based on optical microscopy and image analysis, the present method is easy to implement at industrial scale as a tool to monitor and control CMF/CNF quality and homogeneity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jose Luis Sanchez-Salvador
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.L.S.-S.); (C.C.); (M.C.M.)
| | - Cristina Campano
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.L.S.-S.); (C.C.); (M.C.M.)
| | - Patricio Lopez-Exposito
- Departamento de Bioingeniería e Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Avda. de la Universidad 30, 28911 Leganés, Spain;
| | - Quim Tarrés
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, C/M. Aurèlia Campmany 61, 17071 Girona, Spain; (Q.T.); (P.M.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Pere Mutjé
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, C/M. Aurèlia Campmany 61, 17071 Girona, Spain; (Q.T.); (P.M.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, C/M. Aurèlia Campmany 61, 17071 Girona, Spain; (Q.T.); (P.M.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - M. Concepcion Monte
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.L.S.-S.); (C.C.); (M.C.M.)
| | - Angeles Blanco
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.L.S.-S.); (C.C.); (M.C.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-913-944-247
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Serra-Parareda F, Tarrés Q, Mutjé P, Balea A, Campano C, Sánchez-Salvador JL, Negro C, Delgado-Aguilar M. Correlation between rheological measurements and morphological features of lignocellulosic micro/nanofibers from different softwood sources. Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 187:789-799. [PMID: 34352317 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.07.195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The transition of nanocellulose production from laboratory to industrial scale requires robust monitoring systems that keeps a quality control along the production chain. The present work aims at providing a deeper insight on the main factors affecting the rheological behavior of (ligno)cellulose micro/nanofibers (LCMNFs) and cellulose micro/nanofibers (CMNFs) and how they could correlate with their characteristics. To this end, 20 types of LCMNFs and CMNFs were produced combining mechanical refining and high-pressure homogenization from different raw materials. Aspect ratio and bending capacity of the fibrils played a key role on increasing the viscosity of the suspensions by instigating the formation of entangled structures. Surface charge, reflected by the cationic demand, played opposing effects on the viscosity by reducing the fibrils' contact due to repulsive forces. The suspensions also showed increasing shear-thinning behavior with fibrillation degree, which was attributed to increased surface charge and higher water retention capacity, enabling the fibrils to slide past each other more easily when subjected to flow conditions. The present work elucidates the existing relationships between LCMNF/CMNF properties and their rheological behavior, considering fibrillation intensity and the initial raw material characteristics, in view of the potential of rheological measurements as an industrial scalable characterization technology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ferran Serra-Parareda
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61 - 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61 - 17003 Girona, Spain; Chair on Sustainable Industrial Processes, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 6, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Pere Mutjé
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61 - 17003 Girona, Spain; Chair on Sustainable Industrial Processes, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 6, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Ana Balea
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, University Complutense of Madrid, Avda Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Campano
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, University Complutense of Madrid, Avda Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose Luis Sánchez-Salvador
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, University Complutense of Madrid, Avda Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Negro
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials, University Complutense of Madrid, Avda Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research group, University of Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61 - 17003 Girona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Tarrés Q, Hernández-Díaz D, Ardanuy M. Interface Strength and Fiber Content Influence on Corn Stover Fibers Reinforced Bio-Polyethylene Composites Stiffness. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:polym13050768. [PMID: 33804555 PMCID: PMC7957742 DOI: 10.3390/polym13050768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Stiffness of material is a key parameter that allows the use of material for structural or semi-structural purposes. Besides, lightweight materials are increasingly calling the attention of the industry. Environmental impact is also increasing in its importance. Bio-based materials produced from renewable sources can be good candidates for structural purposes combining lightweight and low environmental impact. Nonetheless, similar mechanical properties of commodities have to be reached with such materials. In this work, composite materials from corn stover fibers as a bio-polyethylene reinforcement were produced and tested. The effect of coupling agents to improve the fiber–matrix interface has been evaluated. It has been found that coupling agent content influenced the stiffness of the materials, increasing the Young’s modulus and the material processability. The best performance was achieved for a 6% of coupling agent, corresponding to 4.61 GPa for 50 w/w% of corn stover fibers. Micromechanics showed the impact of the semi-random orientation of the fibers and the lesser impact of its morphology. It was possible to determine a triangular packing of the composites as a hypothesis for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Quim Tarrés
- Departament of Materials Science ande Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Colom 1, 08222 Terrassa, Spain;
- Correspondence:
| | - David Hernández-Díaz
- Serra Húnter Programme, Department of Engineering Graphics and Design, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, TR5 Campus Terrassa, 08222 Terrassa, Spain;
| | - Mònica Ardanuy
- Departament of Materials Science ande Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Colom 1, 08222 Terrassa, Spain;
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Serra-Parareda F, Vilaseca F, Espinach FX, Mutjé P, Delgado-Aguilar M, Tarrés Q. Stiffening Potential of Lignocellulosic Fibers in Fully Biobased Composites: The Case of Abaca Strands, Spruce TMP Fibers, Recycled Fibers from ONP, and Barley TMP Fibers. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:polym13040619. [PMID: 33670806 PMCID: PMC7921958 DOI: 10.3390/polym13040619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Biocomposites are composite materials where at least the matrix or the reinforcement phases are obtained from natural and renewable resources. Natural fibers for composite preparation can be obtained from annual plants, wood, recycled products, or agroforestry waste. The present work selected abaca strands, spruce fibers, recycled fibers from old newspaper, and barley fibers as raw materials to produce biocomposites, in combination with a biobased polyethylene. One very important feature in material science and for industrial applications is knowing how a material will deform under load, and this characteristic is represented by Young’s modulus. Therefore, in this work, the stiffness and deformation of the biocomposites were determined and evaluated using macromechanics and micromechanics analyses. Results were compared to those of conventional synthetic composites reinforced with glass fibers. From the micromechanics analysis, the intrinsic Young modulus of the reinforcements was obtained, as well as other micromechanics parameters such as the modulus efficiency and the length and orientation factors. Abaca strands accounted for the highest intrinsic modulus. One interesting outcome was that recycled fibers exhibited similar Young’s moduli to wood fibers. Finally, agroforestry waste demonstrated the lowest stiffening potential. The study explores the opportunity of using different natural fibers when specific properties or applications are desired.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ferran Serra-Parareda
- LEPAMAP Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (F.S.-P.); (P.M.); (M.D.-A.); (Q.T.)
| | - Fabiola Vilaseca
- Advanced Biomaterials and Nanotechnology, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain;
| | - Francesc X. Espinach
- Design, Development and Product Innovation, Department of Organization, Business, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
- Correspondence:
| | - Pere Mutjé
- LEPAMAP Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (F.S.-P.); (P.M.); (M.D.-A.); (Q.T.)
- Chair on Sustainable Industrial Processes, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (F.S.-P.); (P.M.); (M.D.-A.); (Q.T.)
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (F.S.-P.); (P.M.); (M.D.-A.); (Q.T.)
- Chair on Sustainable Industrial Processes, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Hernández-Díaz D, Martos-Ferreira D, Hernández-Abad V, Villar-Ribera R, Tarrés Q, Rojas-Sola JI. Indoor PM2.5 removal efficiency of two different non-thermal plasma systems. J Environ Manage 2021; 278:111515. [PMID: 33113396 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The use of non-thermal plasma (NTP) generators in air processing systems and their duct networks to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) has grown considerably in recent years. This paper reviews the advantages and disadvantages of NTP generators for IAQ improvement in biological, chemical and particulate pollutant terms. Also, it assesses and compares the ability of a multipin corona discharge (MPCD) and a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) generator to reduce the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in recycled, unfiltered air in a refrigeration chamber. The MPCD generator was found to have a higher PM2.5 removal efficiency; also, it was faster in removing pollutants, used less energy, and produced much less ozone. The fact that the MPCD generator performed better was seemingly the result of its increased ion production mainly. NTP generators, however, cannot match air filtration media purifiers in this respect as the latter are much more effective in removing particles. Besides, NTP-based air purifying technology continues to be subject to a major drawback, namely: the formation of ozone as a by-product. In any case, the ozone generation was uncorrelated to ion emission when using different technologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D Hernández-Díaz
- Serra Húnter Programme, Department of Engineering Graphics and Design, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, TR5 Campus Terrassa, 08222, Terrassa, Spain.
| | - D Martos-Ferreira
- Department of Electronics, The Salesian University School of Sarrià, Passeig Sant Joan Bosco 74, 08017, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - V Hernández-Abad
- Department of Engineering Graphics and Design, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, TR5 Campus Terrassa, 08222, Terrassa, Spain.
| | - R Villar-Ribera
- Department of Engineering Graphics and Design, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Campus Manresa, 08242, Manresa, Spain.
| | - Q Tarrés
- LEPAMAP Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, 17003, Girona, Spain.
| | - J I Rojas-Sola
- Department of Engineering Graphics, Design and Projects, University of Jaén, 23071, Jaén, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Espinach FX, Espinosa E, Reixach R, Rodríguez A, Mutjé P, Tarrés Q. Study on the Macro and Micromechanics Tensile Strength Properties of Orange Tree Pruning Fiber as Sustainable Reinforcement on Bio-Polyethylene Compared to Oil-Derived Polymers and Its Composites. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:E2206. [PMID: 32993045 PMCID: PMC7601066 DOI: 10.3390/polym12102206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Agroforestry creates value but also a huge amount of waste outside its value chain. Tree pruning is an example of such a low value waste, that is typically discarded or incinerated in the fields or used to recover energy. Nonetheless, tree prunings are rich in wood fibers that can be used as polymer reinforcement. Although there are some bio-based polymers, the majority of industries use oil-based ones. The election of the materials is usually based on a ratio between properties and cost. Bio-based polymers are more expensive than oil-based ones. This work shows how a bio-polyethylene matrix can be reinforced with fibers from orange tree prunings to obtain materials with notable tensile properties. These bio-based materials can show a balanced cost due to the use of a cheap reinforcement with an expensive matrix. The matrix used showed a tensile strength of 18.65 MPa, which reached 42.54 MPa after the addition of 50 wt.% of reinforcement. The obtained values allow the use of the studied composite to replace polypropylene and some of its composites under tensile loads.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesc X Espinach
- Design, Development and Product Innovation, Dept. of Organization, Business, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Eduardo Espinosa
- Chemical Engineering Department, Bioagres Group, Faculty of Science, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus of Rabanales, 14014 Córdoba, Spain; (E.E.); (A.R.)
| | - Rafel Reixach
- Laboratori d’Enginyeria Paperera i Materials Polímers (LEPAMAP Research Group), Universitat de Girona, Campus Montilivi, C.P., 17003 Girona, Spain; (R.R.); (P.M.); (Q.T.)
| | - Alejandro Rodríguez
- Chemical Engineering Department, Bioagres Group, Faculty of Science, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus of Rabanales, 14014 Córdoba, Spain; (E.E.); (A.R.)
| | - Pere Mutjé
- Laboratori d’Enginyeria Paperera i Materials Polímers (LEPAMAP Research Group), Universitat de Girona, Campus Montilivi, C.P., 17003 Girona, Spain; (R.R.); (P.M.); (Q.T.)
- Càtedra de Processos Industrials Sostenibles, Universitat de Girona, Campus Montilivi, C.P., 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Quim Tarrés
- Laboratori d’Enginyeria Paperera i Materials Polímers (LEPAMAP Research Group), Universitat de Girona, Campus Montilivi, C.P., 17003 Girona, Spain; (R.R.); (P.M.); (Q.T.)
- Càtedra de Processos Industrials Sostenibles, Universitat de Girona, Campus Montilivi, C.P., 17003 Girona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Oliver-Ortega H, Tarrés Q, Mutjé P, Delgado-Aguilar M, Méndez JA, Espinach FX. Impact Strength and Water Uptake Behavior of Bleached Kraft Softwood-Reinforced PLA Composites as Alternative to PP-Based Materials. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:polym12092144. [PMID: 32962257 PMCID: PMC7570267 DOI: 10.3390/polym12092144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The research toward environmentally friendly materials has devoted a great effort on composites based on natural fiber-reinforced biopolymers. These materials have shown noticeable mechanical properties, mainly tensile and flexural strengths, as a consequence of increasingly strong interfaces. Previous studies have shown a good interface between natural fibers and poly (lactic acid) (PLA) when these fibers present a low lignin content in their surface chemical composition (bleached fibers). Nonetheless, one of the main drawbacks of these materials is the hydrophilicity of the reinforcements in front of the mineral ones like glass fiber. Meanwhile, the behavior of such materials under impact is also of importance to evaluate its usefulness. This research evaluates the water uptake behavior and the impact strength of bleached Kraft softwood-reinforced PLA composites that have been reported to show noticeable tensile and flexural properties. The paper explores the differences between these bio-based materials and commodity composites like glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helena Oliver-Ortega
- Laboratori d’Enginyeria Paperera i Materials Polímers (LEPAMAP Research Group), Universitat de Girona, Campus Montilivi, C.P. 17003 Girona, Spain; (H.O.-O.); (P.M.); (M.D.-A.); (J.A.M.)
| | - Quim Tarrés
- Laboratori d’Enginyeria Paperera i Materials Polímers (LEPAMAP Research Group), Universitat de Girona, Campus Montilivi, C.P. 17003 Girona, Spain; (H.O.-O.); (P.M.); (M.D.-A.); (J.A.M.)
- Càtedra de Processos Industrials Sostenibles, Universitat de Girona, Campus Montilivi, C.P. 17003 Girona, Spain
- Correspondence:
| | - Pere Mutjé
- Laboratori d’Enginyeria Paperera i Materials Polímers (LEPAMAP Research Group), Universitat de Girona, Campus Montilivi, C.P. 17003 Girona, Spain; (H.O.-O.); (P.M.); (M.D.-A.); (J.A.M.)
- Càtedra de Processos Industrials Sostenibles, Universitat de Girona, Campus Montilivi, C.P. 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- Laboratori d’Enginyeria Paperera i Materials Polímers (LEPAMAP Research Group), Universitat de Girona, Campus Montilivi, C.P. 17003 Girona, Spain; (H.O.-O.); (P.M.); (M.D.-A.); (J.A.M.)
| | - José Alberto Méndez
- Laboratori d’Enginyeria Paperera i Materials Polímers (LEPAMAP Research Group), Universitat de Girona, Campus Montilivi, C.P. 17003 Girona, Spain; (H.O.-O.); (P.M.); (M.D.-A.); (J.A.M.)
| | - Francesc Xavier Espinach
- Design, Development and Product Innovation, Dept. of Organization, Business, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain;
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Kiliç E, Tarrés Q, Delgado-Aguilar M, Espinach X, Fullana-i-Palmer P, Puig R. Leather Waste to Enhance Mechanical Performance of High-Density Polyethylene. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:polym12092016. [PMID: 32899363 PMCID: PMC7563937 DOI: 10.3390/polym12092016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Leather buffing dust (BF) is a waste from tannery which is usually disposed on landfills. The interest in using wastes as fillers or reinforcements for composites has raised recently due to environmental concerns. This study investigates the potential use of BF waste as filler for a high density polyethylene matrix (HDPE). A series of HDPE-BF composites, containing filler concentrations ranging from 20 to 50wt%, were formulated, injection molded and tested. The effect of filler contents on the mechanical properties of the composites were evaluated and discussed. Composites with BF contents up to 30wt% improved the tensile strength and Young’s modulus of the matrix, achieving similar mechanical properties to polypropylene (PP). In the case of flexural strength, it was found to be proportionally enhanced by increasing reinforcement content, maintaining high impact strength. These composites present great opportunities for PP application areas that require higher impact resistance. The materials were submitted to a series of closed-loop recycling cycles in order to assess their recyclability, being able to maintain better tensile strength than virgin HDPE after 5 cycles. The study develops new low-cost and sustainable composites by using a waste as composite filler.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eylem Kiliç
- Material Science and Nanotechnology Engineering Department, Usak University, 64200 Usak, Turkey;
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP Research Group, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain;
- Càtedra de Processos Industrials Sostenibles, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP Research Group, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain;
- Correspondence: (M.D.-A.); (R.P.); Tel.: +34-97-2418-000 (M.D.-A.); +34-93-8035-300 (R.P.)
| | - Xavier Espinach
- PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain;
| | - Pere Fullana-i-Palmer
- UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change ESCI-UPF, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Rita Puig
- ABBU Research Group, Department of Computer Science and Industrial Engineering, Universitat de Lleida (UdL), 08700 Igualada, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.D.-A.); (R.P.); Tel.: +34-97-2418-000 (M.D.-A.); +34-93-8035-300 (R.P.)
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Chihaoui B, Serra-Parareda F, Tarrés Q, Espinach FX, Boufi S, Delgado-Aguilar M. Effect of the Fiber Treatment on the Stiffness of Date Palm Fiber Reinforced PP Composites: Macro and Micromechanical Evaluation of the Young's Modulus. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:polym12081693. [PMID: 32751192 PMCID: PMC7465466 DOI: 10.3390/polym12081693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The present work aims at determining the potential of date palm wastes to be applied as reinforcement in polypropylene. For this, fibers were separated from the raw biomass via mechanical defibration in Sprout Waldron equipment. Then, three different treatment strategies were adopted on the fibers, being (i) mechanical, (ii) chemical with NaOH, and (iii) enzymatical with xylanases and pectinases. Fibers were characterized in terms of chemical composition, morphology and SEM. Additionally, PP was reinforced with date palm fibers and the composites’ stiffness was evaluated. The analysis was performed from a macro and micro mechanical viewpoint. The incorporation of 40 and 60 wt.% of DPF-E enhanced the Young’s modulus of PP by 205 and 308%, respectively. The potential of enzymatically treated fibers to replace glass fibers in composites was studied, exhibiting similar stiffening abilities at 60 wt.% of date palm fiber (6.48 GPa) and 40% of glass fibers (6.85 GPa). The intrinsic Young’s modulus of the fibers was set at values around 16, 20 and 24 GPa for mechanical, chemical and enzymatic fibers. From the micromechanical analysis, the efficiency of the reinforcement as well as the contribution of the length and orientation to the Young’s modulus of the composite was evaluated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Belgacem Chihaoui
- Faculty of Science, University of Sfax, LMSE, Sfax BP 802-3018, Tunisia; (B.C.); (S.B.)
| | - Ferran Serra-Parareda
- LEPAMAP Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain;
- Correspondence: (F.S.-P.); (M.D.-A.)
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain;
- Chair on Sustainable Industrial Processes, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Francesc Xavier Espinach
- PRODIS Research Group, Department of Organization, Business, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain;
| | - Sami Boufi
- Faculty of Science, University of Sfax, LMSE, Sfax BP 802-3018, Tunisia; (B.C.); (S.B.)
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain;
- Correspondence: (F.S.-P.); (M.D.-A.)
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Tarrés Q, Ardanuy M. Evolution of Interfacial Shear Strength and Mean Intrinsic Single Strength in Biobased Composites from Bio-Polyethylene and Thermo-Mechanical Pulp-Corn Stover Fibers. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:E1308. [PMID: 32521809 PMCID: PMC7362255 DOI: 10.3390/polym12061308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In this article, with the aim of promoting sustainability, contributing to the circular economy and the fight against climate change, the production of composite materials from Bio-polyethylene reinforced with corn stover fibers has been studied. The behavior of the materials obtained has been studied experimentally and by mathematical models of micromechanics. The composite materials were produced by extrusion and then injection with from 10 to 50 wt.% of fibers. The creation of a good fiber-matrix interface was studied by the incorporation of coupling agent between (0-8 wt.%). Increase of 131.2% on tensile strength for 40wt.% reinforcement was achieved by adding 6 wt.% of coupling agent. The correct interface was demonstrated by a correlation of 0.99 between the experimental results and the results of the mathematical models used.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Quim Tarrés
- Departament de Ciència I Enginyeria de Materials, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Colom 1, 08222 Terrassa, Spain;
| | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Granda LA, Oliver-Ortega H, Fabra MJ, Tarrés Q, Pèlach MÀ, Lagarón JM, Méndez JA. Improved Process to Obtain Nanofibrillated Cellulose (CNF) Reinforced Starch Films with Upgraded Mechanical Properties and Barrier Character. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:polym12051071. [PMID: 32392772 PMCID: PMC7284417 DOI: 10.3390/polym12051071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, the interest on nanofibrillated cellulose (CNF) has increased owing to its sustainability and its capacity to improve mechanical and barrier properties of polymeric films. Moreover, this filler shows some drawbacks related with its high capacity to form aggregates, hindering its dispersion in the matrix. In this work, an improved procedure to optimize the dispersability of CNF in a thermoplastic starch was put forward. On the one hand, CNF needs a hydrophilic dispersant to be included in the matrix, and on the other, starch needs a hydrophilic plasticizer to obtain a thermoformable material. Glycerol was used to fulfil both targets at once. CNF was predispersed in the plasticizer before nanofibrillation and later on was included into starch, obtaining thin films. The tensile strength of these CNF–starch composite films was 60% higher than the plain thermoplastic starch at a very low 0.36% w/w percentage of CNF. The films showed a noticeable correlation between water uptake, and temperature and humidity. Regarding permeability, a ca. 55% oxygen and water vapor permeability drop was found by nanofiller loading. The hydrolytic susceptibility of the composite was confirmed, being similar to that of the thermoplastic starch.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luis Angel Granda
- LEPAMAP Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona EPS, PI, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (L.A.G.); (H.O.-O.); (M.À.P.)
| | - Helena Oliver-Ortega
- LEPAMAP Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona EPS, PI, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (L.A.G.); (H.O.-O.); (M.À.P.)
| | - Maria José Fabra
- Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA-CSIC), Agustín Escardino 7, Paterna, 46980 Valencia, Spain;
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona EPS, PI, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (L.A.G.); (H.O.-O.); (M.À.P.)
- Correspondence: (Q.T.); (J.A.M.); Tel.: +34-690754563 (Q.T.); +34-682126750 (J.A.M.)
| | - Maria Àngels Pèlach
- LEPAMAP Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona EPS, PI, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (L.A.G.); (H.O.-O.); (M.À.P.)
| | - José Maria Lagarón
- Novel Materials and Nanotechnology Group, IATA, CSIC. Av. Agustín Escardino 7, Paterna, 46980 Valencia, Spain;
| | - José Alberto Méndez
- LEPAMAP Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona EPS, PI, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17003 Girona, Spain; (L.A.G.); (H.O.-O.); (M.À.P.)
- Correspondence: (Q.T.); (J.A.M.); Tel.: +34-690754563 (Q.T.); +34-682126750 (J.A.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Tarrés Q, Oliver-Ortega H, Alcalà M, Espinach FX, Mutjé P, Delgado-Aguilar M. Research on the Strengthening Advantages on Using Cellulose Nanofibers as Polyvinyl Alcohol Reinforcement. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:E974. [PMID: 32331220 PMCID: PMC7240559 DOI: 10.3390/polym12040974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The present work aims to combine the unique properties of cellulose nanofibers (CNF) with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to obtain high-performance nanocomposites. CNF were obtained by means of TEMPO-mediated ((2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl) oxidation, incorporated into the PVA matrix by means of compounding in a single-screw co-rotating internal mixer and then processed by means of injection molding. It was found that CNF were able to improve the tensile strength of PVA in 85% when 4.50 wt % of CNF were added. In addition, the incorporation of a 2.25 wt % of CNF enhanced the tensile strength to the same level that when 40 wt % of microsized fibers (stone groundwood pulp, SGW) were incorporated, which indicated that CNF possessed significantly higher intrinsic mechanical properties than microsized fibers. SGW was selected as reference for microsized fibers due to their extended use in wood plastic composites. Finally, a micromechanical analysis was performed, obtaining coupling factors near to 0.2, indicating good interphase between CNF and PVA. Overall, it was found that the use of CNF is clearly advantageous to the use of common cellulosic fibers if superior mechanical properties are desired, but there are still some limitations that are related to processing that restrict the reinforcement content at low contents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP Research Group, Department of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61-17003 Girona, Spain; (Q.T.); (H.O.-O.); (P.M.)
| | - Helena Oliver-Ortega
- LEPAMAP Research Group, Department of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61-17003 Girona, Spain; (Q.T.); (H.O.-O.); (P.M.)
| | - Manel Alcalà
- PRODIS Research Group, Department of Organization, Business Management and Product Design, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61-17003 Girona, Spain; (M.A.); (F.X.E.)
| | - F. Xavier Espinach
- PRODIS Research Group, Department of Organization, Business Management and Product Design, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61-17003 Girona, Spain; (M.A.); (F.X.E.)
| | - Pere Mutjé
- LEPAMAP Research Group, Department of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61-17003 Girona, Spain; (Q.T.); (H.O.-O.); (P.M.)
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP Research Group, Department of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61-17003 Girona, Spain; (Q.T.); (H.O.-O.); (P.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Delgado-Aguilar M, Tarrés Q, Marques MDFV, Espinach FX, Julián F, Mutjé P, Vilaseca F. Explorative Study on the Use of Curauá Reinforced Polypropylene Composites for the Automotive Industry. Materials (Basel) 2019; 12:ma12244185. [PMID: 31842484 PMCID: PMC6947087 DOI: 10.3390/ma12244185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The automotive industry is under a growing volume of regulations regarding environmental impact and component recycling. Nowadays, glass fiber-based composites are commodities in the automotive industry, but show limitations when recycled. Thus, attention is being devoted to alternative reinforcements like natural fibers. Curauá (Curacao, Ananas erectifolius) is reported in the literature as a promising source of natural fiber prone to be used as composite reinforcement. Nonetheless, one important challenge is to obtain properly dispersed materials, especially when the percentages of reinforcements are higher than 30 wt %. In this work, composite materials with curauá fiber contents ranging from 20 wt % to 50 wt % showed a linear positive evolution of its tensile strength and Young’s modulus against reinforcement content. This is an indication of good reinforcement dispersion and of favorable stress transfer at the fiber-matrix interphase. A car door handle was used as a test case to assess the suitability of curauá-based composites to replace glass fiber-reinforced composites. The mechanical analysis and a preliminary lifecycle analysis are performed to prove such ability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain; (M.D.-A.); (Q.T.)
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain; (M.D.-A.); (Q.T.)
| | - María de Fátima V. Marques
- Instituto de Macromoléculas, Universidad Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro CEP 21941-598, Brasil;
| | - Francesc X. Espinach
- Design, Development and Product Innovation, Dept. of Organization, Business, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain; (F.X.E.); (F.J.)
| | - Fernando Julián
- Design, Development and Product Innovation, Dept. of Organization, Business, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain; (F.X.E.); (F.J.)
| | - Pere Mutjé
- LEPAMAP Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain; (M.D.-A.); (Q.T.)
| | - Fabiola Vilaseca
- Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Serra-Parareda F, Tarrés Q, Delgado-Aguilar M, Espinach FX, Mutjé P, Vilaseca F. Biobased Composites from Biobased-Polyethylene and Barley Thermomechanical Fibers: Micromechanics of Composites. Materials (Basel) 2019; 12:ma12244182. [PMID: 31842419 PMCID: PMC6947177 DOI: 10.3390/ma12244182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The cultivation of cereals like rye, barley, oats, or wheat generates large quantities of agroforestry residues, which reaches values of around 2066 million metric tons/year. Barley straw alone represents 53%. In this work, barley straw is recommended for the production of composite materials in order to add value to this agricultural waste. First of all, thermomechanical (TMP) fibers from barley straw are produced and later used to reinforce bio-polyethylene (BioPE) matrix. TMP barley fibers were chemically and morphologically characterized. Later, composites with optimal amounts of coupling agent and fiber content ranging from 15 to 45 wt % were prepared. The mechanical results showed the strengthening and stiffening capacity of the TMP barley fibers. Finally, a micromechanical analysis is applied to evaluate the quality of the interface and to distinguish how the interface and the fiber morphology contributes to the final properties of these composite materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ferran Serra-Parareda
- LEPAMAP Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain; (F.S.-P.); (Q.T.); (M.D.-A.); (P.M.)
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain; (F.S.-P.); (Q.T.); (M.D.-A.); (P.M.)
- Chair on Sustainable Industrial Processes, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain; (F.S.-P.); (Q.T.); (M.D.-A.); (P.M.)
| | - Francesc X. Espinach
- Design, Development and Product Innovation, Dept. of Organization, Business, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain;
| | - Pere Mutjé
- LEPAMAP Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain; (F.S.-P.); (Q.T.); (M.D.-A.); (P.M.)
- Chair on Sustainable Industrial Processes, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Fabiola Vilaseca
- Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Serra A, Tarrés Q, Chamorro MÀ, Soler J, Mutjé P, Espinach FX, Vilaseca F. Modeling the Stiffness of Coupled and Uncoupled Recycled Cotton Fibers Reinforced Polypropylene Composites. Polymers (Basel) 2019; 11:polym11101725. [PMID: 31640226 PMCID: PMC6836054 DOI: 10.3390/polym11101725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The stiffness of a composite material is mainly affected by the nature of its phases and its contents, the dispersion of the reinforcement, as well as the morphology and mean orientation of such reinforcement. In this paper, recovered dyed cotton fibers from textile industry were used as reinforcement for a polypropylene matrix. The specific dye seems to decrease the hydrophilicity of the fibers and to increase its chemical compatibility with the matrix. The results showed a linear evolution of the Young’s moduli of the composites against the reinforcement contents, although the slope of the regression line was found to be lower than that for other natural strand reinforced polypropylene composites. This was blamed on a growing difficulty to disperse the reinforcements when its content increased. The micromechanics analysis returned a value for the intrinsic Young’s modulus of the cotton fibers that doubled previously published values. The use of two different micromechanics models allowed evaluating the impact of the morphology of the fibers on the Young’s modulus of a composite.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Albert Serra
- LEPAMAP Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain.
- Càtedra de Processos Industrials Sostenibles, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | | | - Jordi Soler
- Department of Architecture and Construction, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Pere Mutjé
- LEPAMAP Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain.
- Càtedra de Processos Industrials Sostenibles, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Francesc X Espinach
- Design, Development and Product Innovation, Dept. of Organization, Business, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Fabiola Vilaseca
- Advanced Biomaterials and Nanotechnology, Dpt. of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Patiño-Masó J, Serra-Parareda F, Tarrés Q, Mutjé P, Espinach FX, Delgado-Aguilar M. TEMPO-Oxidized Cellulose Nanofibers: A Potential Bio-Based Superabsorbent for Diaper Production. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2019; 9:nano9091271. [PMID: 31489948 PMCID: PMC6781086 DOI: 10.3390/nano9091271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Single-use plastics are expected to disappear, mainly due to the rise of stricter regulations to combat their impact on the environment. As an example, the recent European Directive on Single-Use-Plastics (SUP) will be implemented between 2021 and 2024 and will directly prohibit the use of some SUP. Baby diapers are one of the most used single-used products in our daily lives, and it is estimated that most of the ~4000 diapers that each baby uses in their life go to landfill. Such diapers usually contain superabsorbent polymers (SAP) that are based on acrylic acid-acrylamide mixtures with high water retention capacity, but they are neither bio-based nor biodegradable. In this work, we have developed bio-based superabsorbent aerogels made of cellulose nanofibers (CNF) and propose their potential use in baby diapers. TEMPO-oxidized CNF at different oxidation degrees were prepared and tested. The obtained CNF exhibited higher free swelling capacity (FSC) than the commercial fluff pulp (ranging from 117.62% to 245.21% higher) and also than the diaper absorbent, except for CNF-5 (ranging from 31.56% to 54.55%), even under compression. Overall, the present work shows a case study where CNF could have a potential application with market opportunities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Josefina Patiño-Masó
- IRQV Institute, Department of Nursing, University of Girona, Emili Grahit, 77-17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Ferran Serra-Parareda
- LEPAMAP Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61-17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Quim Tarrés
- LEPAMAP Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61-17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Pere Mutjé
- LEPAMAP Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61-17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - F Xavier Espinach
- PRODIS Research group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61-17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- LEPAMAP Research Group, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61-17003 Girona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Tarrés Q, Soler J, Rojas-Sola JI, Oliver-Ortega H, Julián F, Espinach FX, Mutjé P, Delgado-Aguilar M. Flexural Properties and Mean Intrinsic Flexural Strength of Old Newspaper Reinforced Polypropylene Composites. Polymers (Basel) 2019; 11:polym11081244. [PMID: 31357533 PMCID: PMC6723470 DOI: 10.3390/polym11081244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Newspapers have a limited lifespan, and therefore represent a focus of used and disposed paper. While these refuses have a considerable value and can be easily recycled, a considerable fraction ends in landfill. The authors show the possibility of adding value to used newspaper and enlarge its value chain. Old newspaper incorporates a high amount of wood fibers able to be used as reinforcement. On the other hand, this material also incorporates inks and other components inherent to newspaper production. In this work, the authors disintegrate old newspaper to recover and individualize wood fibers. A morphological analysis showed that the recovered fibers had aspect ratios higher than 10, revealing, a priori, their strengthening capabilities. Thereupon, these fibers were compounded with polypropylene at different contents, ranging from 20% to 50% w/w. It is well known that wood fibers are hydrophilic, while polyolefin are hydrophobic. This is a drawback to obtaining strong interfaces. Thus, two sets of composites were produced, with and without a coupling agent. The results showed that uncoupled composites increased the flexural strength of the matrix but reached an equilibrium point from which adding more reinforcement did not changer the flexural strength. On the other hand, the coupled composites showed a linear increase of the flexural strength against the reinforcement content. The flexural moduli of the coupled and uncoupled composites were very similar and evolved linearly with the reinforcement content.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Quim Tarrés
- Laboratory of Paper Engineering and Polymer Materials, Department Of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Jordi Soler
- Department of Architecture and Construction Engineering, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - José Ignacio Rojas-Sola
- Department of Engineering Graphics, Design and Projects, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain
| | - Helena Oliver-Ortega
- Laboratory of Paper Engineering and Polymer Materials, Department Of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Fernando Julián
- Design, Development and Product Innovation, Dpt. Of Organization, Business Management and Product Design, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - F Xavier Espinach
- Design, Development and Product Innovation, Dpt. Of Organization, Business Management and Product Design, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Pere Mutjé
- Laboratory of Paper Engineering and Polymer Materials, Department Of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- Laboratory of Paper Engineering and Polymer Materials, Department Of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Fourati Y, Tarrés Q, Mutjé P, Boufi S. PBAT/thermoplastic starch blends: Effect of compatibilizers on the rheological, mechanical and morphological properties. Carbohydr Polym 2018; 199:51-57. [DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Revised: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
|
42
|
Oliver-Ortega H, Méndez JA, Espinach FX, Tarrés Q, Ardanuy M, Mutjé P. Impact Strength and Water Uptake Behaviors of Fully Bio-Based PA11-SGW Composites. Polymers (Basel) 2018; 10:E717. [PMID: 30960642 PMCID: PMC6404017 DOI: 10.3390/polym10070717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 06/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Composite materials have attracted the attention of some industrial fields due to their lightness and relatively good mechanical properties. One of these properties is impact strength, essential to ensure the processability and application of these materials under impact conditions. In addition, it is known that water absorption has a plasticizing effect in polymers and polymer composites which can change the properties of such materials and limit their use. Moreover, this effect worsens when hydrophilic reinforcement is used. In this work, the impact and water uptake behavior of totally bio-based composites from polyamide 11 (PA11) and lignocellulosic pine fibers mechanically processed as stone groundwood (SGW) were studied. The impact resistance of PA11 and its composites was higher than expected, obtaining better results than those of polyolefin-based materials. The evaluated mechanical properties and the micrographs showed an adequate interface. The water uptake test showed that PA11 and its composites had non-Fickian and Fickian case I behaviours, respectively. It was found that the maximum water absorbance was similar to that of SGW reinforced polypropylene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helena Oliver-Ortega
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, C/M. Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - José Alberto Méndez
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, C/M. Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Francesc Xavier Espinach
- Design, Development and Product Innovation, Department of Organization, Business Management and Product Design, University of Girona, C/M. Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Quim Tarrés
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, C/M. Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Mònica Ardanuy
- Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, Textile Engineering, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, C/Colom, 11, 08222 Terrassa, Spain.
| | - Pere Mutjé
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, C/M. Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Parés D, Pèlach MÀ, Toldrà M, Saguer E, Tarrés Q, Carretero C. Nanofibrillated Cellulose as Functional Ingredient in Emulsion-Type Meat Products. FOOD BIOPROCESS TECH 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s11947-018-2104-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
|
44
|
Tarrés Q, Oliver-Ortega H, Alcalà M, Merayo N, Balea A, Blanco Á, Mutjé P, Delgado-Aguilar M. Combined effect of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, cellulose nanofibers and drainage aids in recycled paper production process. Carbohydr Polym 2018; 183:201-206. [DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
45
|
González I, Oliver-Ortega H, Tarrés Q, Delgado-Aguilar M, Mutjé P, Andreu D. Immobilization of antimicrobial peptides onto cellulose nanopaper. Int J Biol Macromol 2017; 105:741-748. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2017.07.094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Revised: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
|
46
|
Oliver-Ortega H, Méndez JA, Mutjé P, Tarrés Q, Espinach FX, Ardanuy M. Evaluation of Thermal and Thermomechanical Behaviour of Bio-Based Polyamide 11 Based Composites Reinforced with Lignocellulosic Fibres. Polymers (Basel) 2017; 9:E522. [PMID: 30965825 PMCID: PMC6418828 DOI: 10.3390/polym9100522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In this work, polyamide 11 (PA11) and stone ground wood fibres (SGW) were used, as an alternative to non-bio-based polymer matrices and reinforcements, to obtain short fibre reinforced composites. The impact of the reinforcement on the thermal degradation, thermal transitions and microstructure of PA11-based composites were studied. Natural fibres have lower degradation temperatures than PA11, thus, composites showed lower onset degradation temperatures than PA11, as well. The thermal transition and the semi-crystalline structure of the composites were similar to PA11. On the other hand, when SGW was submitted to an annealing treatment, the composites prepared with these fibres increased its crystallinity, with increasing fibre contents, compared to PA11. The differences between the glass transition temperatures of annealed and untreated composites decreased with the fibre contents. Thus, the fibres had a higher impact in the composites mechanical behaviour than on the mobility of the amorphous phase. The crystalline structure of PA11 and PA11-SGW composites, after annealing, was transformed to α' more stable phase, without any negative impact on the properties of the fibres.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helena Oliver-Ortega
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, C/M.Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - José Alberto Méndez
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, C/M.Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Pere Mutjé
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, C/M.Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Quim Tarrés
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, C/M.Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Francesc Xavier Espinach
- Design, Development and Product Innovation, Dpt. Organization, Business Management and Product Design, University of Girona, C/M.Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Mònica Ardanuy
- Departament de Ciència dels Materials i Enginyeria Metal.lúrgica, Secció Enginyeria Tèxtil, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C/Colom, 11, 08222 Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Tarrés Q, Pèlach MÀ, Alcalà M, Delgado-Aguilar M. Cardboard boxes as raw material for high-performance papers through the implementation of alternative technologies: More than closing the loop. J IND ENG CHEM 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jiec.2017.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
|
48
|
Tarrés Q, Pellicer N, Balea A, Merayo N, Negro C, Blanco A, Delgado-Aguilar M, Mutjé P. Lignocellulosic micro/nanofibers from wood sawdust applied to recycled fibers for the production of paper bags. Int J Biol Macromol 2017; 105:664-670. [PMID: 28735007 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2017.07.092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Revised: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In the present work, lignocellulosic micro/nanofibers (LCMNF) were produced from pine sawdust. For that, pine sawdust was submitted to alkali treatment and subsequent bleaching stages, tailoring its chemical composition with the purpose of obtaining effective LCMNF. The obtained LCMNF were characterized and incorporated to recycled cardboard boxes with the purpose of producing recycled paper. The obtained results showed that it was possible to obtain LCMNF with the same reinforcing potential than those cellulose nanofibers (CNF) prepared by oxidative or other chemical methods In fact, the obtained papers increased the breaking length of recycled cardboard from 3338m to 5347m, being a value significantly higher than the requirements to produce paper bags. Overall, the studied strategies could allow a significant reduction of paper basis weight, with the consequent material saving and, thus, contribution to the environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Quim Tarrés
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, c/M. Aurèlia Campmany 61, 17071 Girona, Spain.
| | - Neus Pellicer
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, c/M. Aurèlia Campmany 61, 17071 Girona, Spain.
| | - Ana Balea
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Complutense University of Madrid, Avda Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Noemi Merayo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Complutense University of Madrid, Avda Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Carlos Negro
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Complutense University of Madrid, Avda Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Angeles Blanco
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Complutense University of Madrid, Avda Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Marc Delgado-Aguilar
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, c/M. Aurèlia Campmany 61, 17071 Girona, Spain.
| | - Pere Mutjé
- Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, c/M. Aurèlia Campmany 61, 17071 Girona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Tarrés Q, Deltell A, Espinach FX, Pèlach MÀ, Delgado-Aguilar M, Mutjé P. Magnetic bionanocomposites from cellulose nanofibers: Fast, simple and effective production method. Int J Biol Macromol 2017; 99:29-36. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2017.02.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2016] [Revised: 01/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
50
|
Tarrés Q, Ehman NV, Vallejos ME, Area MC, Delgado-Aguilar M, Mutjé P. Lignocellulosic nanofibers from triticale straw: The influence of hemicelluloses and lignin in their production and properties. Carbohydr Polym 2017; 163:20-27. [DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2016] [Revised: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
|