Mikael Skrifvars

Natural fibres as reinforcement in polylactic acid (PLA) composites

The focus in this work has been to study if natural fibres can be used as reinforcement in polymers based on renewable raw materials. The materials have been flax fibres and polylactic acid (PLA). PLA is a thermoplastic polymer made from lactic acid and has mainly been used for biodegradable products, such as plastic bags and planting cups, but in principle PLA can also be used as a matrix material in composites. Because of the brittle nature of PLA triacetin was tested as plasticizer for PLA and PLA/flax composites in order to improve the impact properties. The studied composite materials were manufactured with a twin-screw extruder having a flax fibre content of 30 and 40 wt.%. The extruded compound was compression moulded to test samples. The processing and material properties have been studied and compared to the more commonly used polypropylene flax fibre composites (PP/flax). Preliminary results show that the mechanical properties of PLA and flax fibre composites are promising. The composite strength is about 50% better compared to similar PP/flax fibre composites, which are used today in many automotive panels. The addition of plasticizer does not show any positive effect on the impact strength of the composites. The study of interfacial adhesion shows that adhesion needs to be improved to optimise the mechanical properties of the PLA/flax composites. The PLA/flax composites did not show any difficulties in the extrusion and compression moulding processes and they can be processed in a similar way as PP based composites.

A Review of Natural Fibers Used in Biocomposites: Plant, Animal and Regenerated Cellulose Fibers

Natural fibers today are a popular choice for applications in composite manufacturing. Based on the sustainability benefits, biofibers such as plant fibers are replacing synthetic fibers in composites. These fibers are used to manufacture several biocomposites. The chemical composition and properties of each of the fibers changes, which demands the detailed comparison of these fibers. The reinforcement potential of natural fibers and their properties have been described in numerous papers. Today, high performance biocomposites are produced from several years of research. Plant fibers, particularly bast and leaf, find applications in automotive industries. While most of the other fibers are explored in lab scales they have not yet found large-scale commercial applications. It is necessary to also consider other fibers such as ones made from seed (coir) and animals (chicken feather) as they are secondary or made from waste products. Few plant fibers such as bast fibers are often reviewed briefly but other plant and animal fibers are not discussed in detail. This review paper discusses all the six types of plant fibers such as bast, leaf, seed, straw, grass, and wood, together with animal fibers and regenerated cellulose fibers. Additionally, the review considers developments dealing with natural fibers and their composites. The fiber source, extraction, availability, type, composition, and mechanical properties are discussed. The advantages and disadvantages of using each biofiber are discussed. Three fabric architectures such as nonwoven, woven and knitted have been briefly discussed. Finally, the paper presents the overview of the results from the composites made from each fiber with suitable references for in-depth studies.

Synthesis of unsaturated polyesters for improved interfacial strength in carbon fibre composites

Carbon fibres are gaining use as reinforcement in glass fibre/polyester composites for increased stiffness as a hybrid composite. The mechanics and chemistry of the carbon fibre-polyester interface should be addressed to achieve an improvement also in fatigue performance and off-axis strength. To make better use of the versatility of unsaturated polyesters in a carbon fibre composite, a set of unsaturated polyester resins have been synthesized with different ratios of maleic anhydride, o-phthalic anhydride and 1,2-propylene glycol as precursors. The effective interfacial strength was determined by micro-Raman spectroscopy of a single-fibre composite tested in tension. The interfacial shear strength with untreated carbon fibres increased with increasing degree of unsaturation of the polyester, which is controlled by the relative amount of maleic anhydride. This can be explained by a contribution of chemical bonding of the double bonds in the polymer to the functional groups of the carbon fibre surface.

Impact and flexural properties of flax fabrics and Lyocell fiber-reinforced bio-based thermoset

A bio-based thermoset resin was reinforced with flax fabrics and Lyocell fiber. The effect of different weave architectures was studied with four flax fabrics with different architectures: plain, twill (two different types), and dobby. The effect of the outer ply thickness was studied and characterized with flexural and impact testing. Composites manufactured with plain weave reinforcement had the best mechanical properties. The tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength, flexural modulus, and impact strength were 280MPa, 32GPa, 250MPa, 25GPa, and 75 kJ/m 2, respectively. Reinforcements with twill-weave architecture did not impart appreciable flexural strength or flexural modulus even when the outer thickness was increased. Plain- and dobby (basket woven style)-weave architectures gave better reinforcing effects and the flexural properties increased with an increase in outer thickness. Water absorption properties of the composites were studied and it was observed that the hybridization with Lyocell fiber reduced the water uptake. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy was used to study the micro-structural properties of the composites.

All-cellulose nanocomposite fibers produced by melt spinning cellulose acetate butyrate and cellulose nanocrystals

Bio-based continuous fibers were prepared by melt spinning cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and triethyl citrate. A CNC organo-gel dispersion technique was used and the prepared materials (2 and 10 wt% CNC) were melt spun using a twin-screw micro-compounder and drawn to a ratio of 1.5. The microscopy studies showed that the addition of CNC in CAB resulted in defect-free and smooth fiber surfaces. An addition of 10 wt% CNC enhanced the storage modulus and increased the tensile strength and Young’s modulus. Fiber drawing improved the mechanical properties further. In addition, a micromechanical model of the composite material was used to estimate the stiffness and showed that theoretical values were exceeded for the lower concentration of CNC but not reached for the higher concentration. In conclusion, this dispersion technique combined with melt spinning can be used to produce all-cellulose nanocomposites fibers and that both the increase in CNC volume fraction and the fiber drawing increased the mechanical performance.

Effect of water absorption on mechanical properties of soybean oil thermosets reinforced with natural fibers

Natural fiber composites are known to absorb more water than glass fiber reinforced composites. In this study, hybrid natural fiber composites were prepared by combining different fiber reinforcements, and both the water absorption and the mechanical properties were studied. Compression molding technique was used to manufacture composite laminates from a bio-based resin (acrylated epoxidized soybean oil) and natural fibers: non-woven and woven jute, non-woven regenerated cellulose mat (Lyocell and viscose), and woven glass fiber. The composite laminates were cured at 160–170°C and 40 bar, with a fiber content of 40 wt%. We investigated effect of pretreatment of regenerated cellulose fiber using 4% NaOH solution. The gravimetric water absorption was tested by exposure to water for 10 days. Specimens were cut from composites with laser-cutting technique according to ISO standards, and tested for tensile, flexural, and impact strength. To determine the influence of water absorption on the mechanical properties, specimens were immersed in distilled water for 10 days before testing. As a reference, dry specimens were tested. The results showed that water absorption was reduced by producing hybrid composites with jute fibers, glass fiber, and Lyocell fiber. The tensile, flexural, and impact properties were improved by inclusion of glass fiber and Lyocell in the composite. The tensile and flexural properties of natural fiber reinforced composites were mostly affected by the influence of water, but this was improved considerably by hybridization with glass and Lyocell fibers. The viscoelastic properties of the manufactured composites and hybrid composites were studied using dynamic mechanical thermal analysis.

Modification of unsaturated polyesters by poly(ethylene glycol) end groups

This article reports on the modification of unsaturated polyesters by poly(ethylene glycol) end groups in order to influence the solution behavior in styrene and to modify mechanical properties of the cured resin. The synthesis was done by the reaction of a carboxyl-terminated unsaturated polyester with various poly(ethylene glycol) mono-methyl ethers of molecular weights from 350 to 2000 g/mol. The characterization and curing properties of the synthesized block copolymers are presented. The glass transition temperatures decrease with increasing length of the poly(ethylene glycol) end groups. The introduction of long poly(ethylene glycol) end groups (2000 g/mol) leads to a phase separated and partly crystalline block copolymer with a melting point of 48°C. The block copolymers can be easily diluted in styrene to create the curable resins. The mixtures containing the block copolymers with the short poly(ethylene glycol) end groups (350 and 550 g/mol) could be cured in a reasonably short time. Compared to commercial unsaturated polyesters the mechanical testing revealed that the tensile strength is decreasing while the elongation is increasing.

Poly(lactic acid) melt-spun fibers reinforced with functionalized cellulose nanocrystals

Poly(lactic acid)-cellulose nanocrystals (PLA/CNC) nanocomposite fibers with 1% weight fraction of nanocrystals were prepared via melt-spinning. In order to improve the compatibility between PLA and the CNC, PLLA chains were grafted onto the CNC surface using a “grafting from” reaction. For comparison, melt-spun PLA fibers and nanocomposites with unmodified CNC were also prepared. The morphology and thermal and mechanical properties of the fibers with different draw ratios were determined. The results of this research show that the surface modification together with drawing resulted in improved fiber properties, which are expected to depend on the alignment of the CNC and PLA molecular chains. The modification is also expected to lead to a flexible interface, which leads to more stretchable fibers. The main conclusion is that PLLA grafting is a very promising approach to improve the dispersion of CNC in PLA, thus creating interfacial adhesion between the phases and making it possible to spin fibers that can be drawn with improved mechanical performance.

Effect of bioactive extruded PLA/HA composite films on focal adhesion formation of preosteoblastic cells.

The quality of the initial cell attachment to a biomaterial will influence any further cell function, including spreading, proliferation, differentiation and viability. Cell attachment is influenced by the materials ability to adsorb proteins, which is related to the surface chemistry and topography of the material. In this study, we incorporated hydroxyapatite (HA) particles into a poly(lactic acid) (PLA) composite and evaluated the surface structure and the effects of HA density on the initial cell attachment in vitro of murine calvarial preosteoblasts (MC3T3-EI). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that the HA particles were successfully incorporated into the PLA matrix and located at the surface which is of importance in order to maintain the bioactive effect of the HA particles. SEM and AFM investigation revealed that the HA density (particles/area) as well as surface roughness increased with HA loading concentration (i.e. 5, 10, 15 and 20wt%), which promoted protein adsorption. Furthermore, the presence of HA on the surface enhanced cell spreading, increased the formation of actin stress fibers and significantly improved the expression of vinculin in MC3T3-E1 cells which is a key player in the regulation of cell adhesion. These results suggest the potential utility of PLA/HA composites as biomaterials for use as a bone substitute material and in tissue engineering applications.

Polyester and Ester Functionalized Dendrimers

Demand for smart and functional materials has raised the importance of the research of dendritic (Greek = tree-like) molecules in organic and polymer chemistry due to their novel physical and mechanical properties. The properties of linear polymers as well as small discrete molecules are combined in this new architectural class of macromolecules, that can be divided into two families: dendrimers and hyperbranched macromolecules, that differ in their branching sequences. Dendrimers contain symmetrically arranged branches emanating from a core molecule together with a well-defined number of end groups corresponding to each generation. This results in an almost monodisperse three-dimensional globular shape providing internal niches capable of encapsulation of guest molecules or molecular recognition. Hyperbranched macromolecules, synthesized in one-step reactions, are randomly branched and contain more defects, i.e. linear and terminal segments, being less homogenic than dendrimers. High chemical reactivity, low viscosity, high solubility and miscibility offer unique tools to modify and tailor properties in particular fields, such as adhesives and coatings, agrochemistry, catalysts, chemical and biosensors, cosmetics, inks and toners, lubricants, magnetic resonance imaging agents, membranes, micelle and virus mimicking, molecular recognition, nano devices, pharmaceuticals, self-organizing assemblies, thermoplastics and thermosets, and viscosity modifiers.