Deakin University
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

A simple and effective method to ameliorate the interfacial properties of cellulosic fibre based bio-composites using poly (ethylene glycol) based amphiphiles

Version 2 2024-06-04, 11:28
Version 1 2015-01-28, 12:08
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-04, 11:28 authored by JS Church, AS Voda, Alessandra SuttiAlessandra Sutti, J George, BL Fox, K Magniez
In order to overcome interfacial incompatibility issues in natural fibre reinforced polymer bio-composites, surface modifications of the natural fibres using complex and environmentally unfriendly chemical methods is necessary. In this paper, we demonstrate that the interfacial properties of cellulose-based bio-composites can be tailored through surface adsorption of polyethylene glycol (PEG) based amphiphilic block copolymers using a greener alternative methodology. Mixtures of water or water/acetone were used to form amphiphilic emulsions or micro-crystal suspensions of PEG based amphiphilic block copolymers, and their deposition from solution onto the cellulosic substrate was carried out by simple dip-coating. The findings of this study evidence that, by tuning the amphiphilicity and the type of building blocks attached to the PEG unit, the flexural and dynamic thermo-mechanical properties of cellulose-based bio-composites comprised of either polylactide (PLA) or high density polyethylene (HDPE) as a matrix, can be remarkably enhanced. The trends, largely driven by interfacial effects, can be ascribed to the combined action of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic components of these amphiphiles. The nature of the interactions formed across the fibre-matrix interface is discussed. The collective outcome from this study provides a technological template to significantly improve the performance of cellulose-based bio-composite materials.

History

Journal

European polymer journal

Volume

64

Pagination

70-78

Location

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

ISSN

0014-3057

Language

eng

Publication classification

C Journal article, C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2015, Elsevier

Publisher

Elsevier