Poly(lactic acid)/Cellulose Films Produced from Composite Spheres Prepared by Emulsion-Solvent Evaporation Method
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FibEnTech—Fiber Materials and Environmental Technologies Research Unit, Universidade da Beira Interior, Rua Marquês d’Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal
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C-MAST—Centre for Mechanical and Aerospace Science and Technology, Universidade da Beira Interior, Rua Marquês d’Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Polymers 2019, 11(1), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11010066
Received: 28 November 2018
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Revised: 30 December 2018
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Accepted: 3 January 2019
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Published: 4 January 2019
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Based Polymers for Engineered Green Materials)
The compound of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and cellulose was made by the emulsion-solvent evaporation technique in order to obtain spheres which are then compression molded to produce a biocomposite film. The effect of the dispersant (poly(vinyl alcohol)—PVA)/PLA ratio on the spheres yield was studied. Moreover, to evaluate the effect of cellulose particle size and surface chemistry on the process yield, unbleached eucalypt kraft pulp and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), both unmodified and physically or chemically modified were used. PLA/cellulose spheres were characterized regarding its physical properties. It was found that the spheres yield is essentially determined by the PVA/PLA ratio and the percentage of cellulose incorporation is greatly affected by the surface chemistry of cellulose. Regarding the films, DSC runs showed a significant effect of the cellulose type incorporated into PLA matrix on the cold crystallization temperature and on the degree of crystallinity of the biocomposite films. The measurement of tensile properties of the biocomposite films revealed that the strength, elongation at break and toughness (tensile energy absorption at break) of the films incorporating unmodified and chemically modified MCC were substantially improved.
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Keywords:
poly(lactic acid); pulp fibers; biocomposite; emulsion-solvent evaporation method; films; mechanical properties
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MDPI and ACS Style
Sousa, S.; Costa, A.; Silva, A.; Simões, R. Poly(lactic acid)/Cellulose Films Produced from Composite Spheres Prepared by Emulsion-Solvent Evaporation Method. Polymers 2019, 11, 66. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11010066
AMA Style
Sousa S, Costa A, Silva A, Simões R. Poly(lactic acid)/Cellulose Films Produced from Composite Spheres Prepared by Emulsion-Solvent Evaporation Method. Polymers. 2019; 11(1):66. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11010066
Chicago/Turabian StyleSousa, Sónia, Ana Costa, Abílio Silva, and Rogério Simões. 2019. "Poly(lactic acid)/Cellulose Films Produced from Composite Spheres Prepared by Emulsion-Solvent Evaporation Method" Polymers 11, no. 1: 66. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11010066
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