Coir fiber as thermal insulator and its performance as reinforcing material in biocomposite production

Experimental investigation on strengthening of Zea mays root fibres for biodegradable composite materials using potassium permanganate treatment

Humans are the only species who generate waste materials that cannot be broken down by natural processes. The ideal solution to this waste problem would be to employ only compostable materials. Biodegradable materials play a key role in creating a safer and greener world. Biodegradability is the gift that keeps on giving, in the sense of creating an Earth worth living. The future is thus best served by green energy, sustainability, and renewable resources. To realize such goals, waste should be considered as a valuable resource. In this context, Zea mays (Zm) root fibres, which are normally considered as agricultural waste, can be used as reinforcing substances in polymer matrices to produce structural composite materials. Before being used in composites, such fibres must be analysed for their physical properties. Chemical treatments can be employed to improve the structural quality of fibres, and the changes due to such modification can be analysed. Therefore, the current work examines the effect of permanganate treatment on the surface properties of Zm fibres. The raw and potassium permanganate-treated samples were assayed for various properties. Physical analysis of the fibre samples yielded details concerning the physical aspects of the fibres. The thermal conductivity and moisture absorption behaviour of the samples were analysed. Chemical analysis was employed to characterize the composition of both treated and untreated samples. p-XRD was employed to examine the crystalline nature of the Zm fibres. Numerous functional groups present in each sample were analysed by FTIR. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to determine the thermal stability of Zm fibres. Elemental analysis (CHNS and EDS) was used to determine the elemental concentrations of both raw and treated samples. The surface alterations of Zm fibres brought on by treatment were described using SEM analysis. The characteristics of Zm roots and the changes in quality due to treatment were reviewed, and there were noticeable effects due to the treatment. Both samples would have applications in various fields, and each could be used as a potential reinforcing material in the production of efficient bio-composites.

A Green Treatment Mitigates the Limitations of Coffee Silver Skin as a Filler for PLA/PBSA Compatibilized Biocomposites

The development of fully renewable and biodegradable composites for short-term applications was pursued by combining a compatibilized poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBSA) (60:40 wt:wt) blend with coffee silver skin (CSS), an industrial byproduct from coffee processing. An epoxy-based reactive agent (Joncryl ADR-4468) was added as a compatibilizer. CSS was incorporated at 5, 10, and 20 wt% in the blend both in the as-received state and after a simple thermal treatment in boiling water, which was performed to mitigate the negative impact of this filler on the rheological and mechanical properties of the blend. The CSS treatment effectively increased the filler degradation temperature of 30-40 °C, enabling stable melt processing of the composites. It also improved filler-matrix adhesion, resulting in enhanced impact properties (up to +172% increase in impact energy compared to the untreated filler). Therefore, treated CSS demonstrated potential as an effective green reinforcement for PLA/PBSA blends for rigid packaging applications. Future works will focus on studying suitable surface modification of CSS to further increase the interfacial interaction and the tensile quasi-static properties, to fully exploit the capabilities of this renewable material toward the development of eco-friendly composites.