Effects of Coir Fiber and Maleic Anhydride Modification on the Properties of Thermoplastic Starch/PLA Composite Laminates

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Author list: Surin P., Rakkwamsuk P., Wimolmala E., Sombatsompop N.

Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group

Publication year: 2015

Journal: Journal of Natural Fibers (1544-0478)

Volume number: 12

Issue number: 2

Start page: 108

End page: 120

Number of pages: 13

ISSN: 1544-0478

eISSN: 1544-046X

URL: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84908679463&doi=10.1080%2f15440478.2014.901203&partnerID=40&md5=acd910f332844dd5c8e9a7906441404e

Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)

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Abstract

Coir fiber reinforced composite laminates made of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) with a thermoplastic starch (TPS) were fabricated. Modified thermoplastic starch (MTPS) was prepared by reactive blending of TPS with maleic anhydride (MA). The effect of coir fibers was of our main interest. The tensile properties, water absorption, and morphological properties of the fabricated composite laminates were investigated. The composite laminates between PLA and starch TPS were prepared using coir fiber as reinforcing core, and the physical, mechanical, and morphological properties were studied. The results suggested that the optimum fiber contents for maximum tensile strength for TPS/PLA and MTPS/PLA composites were 20 and 30 wt%, respectively. Using MA for chemical modification of TPS for PLA composites could reduce the PLA content of about 10 wt%, and improve the tensile about 20%. The volume swelling for the MTPS/PLA composites was much lower than that for the TPS/PLA composites, and the swelling reduced with increasing coir fiber content. Based on compressive strength, the pallets produced using MTPS/PLA composites showed a high potential to replace the commercial urea-formaldehyde/PLA composites. It clearly appeared that MA modification to TPS not only improve the mechanical properties of fiber reinforced PLA composites, but also made the PLA composites bio-degrade more quickly. ฉ , Copyright ฉ Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Keywords

Coir fiber, pallets product