Arief C. Wibowo

Preparation and characterization of plasticized cellulose acetate biocomposite with natural fiber

Biodegradable polymers such as poly (hydroxybutyrate) [1, 2], poly(e-caprolactone), polylactide [3], biodegradable aliphatic polyesters [4–6], and bio-based composite materials have been investigated to reduce environmental problems caused by plastic wastes, since they have low manufacturing costs and easy processibility in large-scale production. Among these biodegradable polymers or bio-based polymer products, cellulose from trees are found to be the most attractive substitute for petroleum feedstock in making plastics for the consumer market [7]. Cellulose plastics, such as cellulose acetate (CA), cellulose acetate propionate, and cellulose acetate butyrate, are thermoplastic materials produced through the esterification of cellulose. A variety of raw materials such as cotton, recycled paper, wood cellulose, and sugarcane are used in making cellulose ester biopolymers in powder form. In processing polymer composites, biofibers such as henequen, hemp (HP), and kenaf can be successful candidates for reinforcing the strength and stiffness in the final composite [8–11]. In the current study, we melt-processed the plasticized CA (CAP) with a biofiber, hemp, and then investigated its characteristics of thermal stabilities, fractured surface morphologies, and rheological properties. Most commercial cellulose acetate products are clear, strong, and stiff. Some applications of cellulose ester biopolymers are film substrates for photography, toothbrush handles, selective filtration membranes in medicine, and automotive coatings [12]. The main drawback of cellulose acetate is that its melt processing temperature is very close to its decomposition temperature, as determined by the structure of its parent cellulose. This means that cellulose acetates should be plasticized if they are to be used in thermoplastic processing applications [13]. In this study, we used CAP containing 30 wt% of plasticizer i.e., plasticized cellulose acetate, as dispersing medium for biofiber. The major constituents of biofibers (lignocelluloses) are cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Cellulose is a hydrophilic glucan polymer consisting of a linear chain, containing hydroxyl groups. Therefore, all the natural fibers are hydrophilic in nature. The details on these