Volume 14, Issue 2, 2005
A study of the effect of
acetylation and propionylation on the interface of natural fibre biodegradable
composites
V. Tserki1,
C. Panayiotou2,
and N. E. Zafeiropoulos2,*
1Department
of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124
Thessaloniki, GREECE
2Department
of Nanostructured Materials, Leibniz Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V.,
Hohe Strasse 6, D-01069 Dresden, GERMANY
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed
e-mail:zafeiropoulos@ipfdd.de
(Received 6/04; accepted 4/05)
Abstract
Composite materials are a class of materials used in many diverse applications.
Very recently the attention has shifted to the development of green composites
that are easily recycleable and in this case the use of biodegradable matrices
and fibres appear to be highly attractive. In the present study a class of
biodegradable polyesters are used as matrices to produce fully biodegradable
composites, reinforced with lignocellulosic natural fibres. This new class of
composites is fully biodegradable, but the key aspect that governs the behaviour
of the composites remains the interface. Surface treatments, although having a
negative impact on economics, may improve the compatibility and strengthen the
interface in natural fibre composite materials. In the present study the effect
of two surface treatments, namely acetylation and propionylation, upon the
interface of natural fibre composites is assessed by means of fragmentation
tests. It has been found that both treatments led to an improvement of the
stress transfer efficiency at the interface, and both applied treatments were
optimised, accordingly.
