Lisa Wikström

Coupling of PLA and bleached softwood kraft pulp (BSKP) for enhanced properties of biocomposites

The interest in totally bio-based materials is increasing due to their low carbon footprint and improved properties through intensive research. Polylactide (PLA)-based cellulose fibre compounds are finding their way into various injection-moulded applications. In addition to gain high-performance PLA–cellulose pulp fibre composites, there are also needed for additives such as plasticizers and coupling agents in the compounds. This research presents the use of a renewable material–based combined plasticizer-coupling agent as an additive in PLA bleached softwood kraft pulp (BSKP) composite. An epoxy-modified linseed oil showed capability for cross-linking PLA and cellulose fibre so enabling simultaneously improved strength tensile and impact properties for composite materials when added in amount of below 8% to fibre.