Tratamentos de fibras de carnaúba [copernicia prunífera (miller) h. e. moore] para o desenvolvimento de compósito biodegradável com matriz de polihidroxibutirato

The use of raw materials from renewable sources for production of materials has been the subject of several studies and researches, because of its potential to substitute petrochemical-based materials. The addition of natural fibers to polymers represents an alternative in the partial or total replacement of glass fibers in composites. In this work, carnauba leaf fibers were used in the production of biodegradable composites with polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) matrix. To improve the interfacial properties fiber / matrix were studied four chemical treatments to the fibers..The effect of the different chemical treatments on the morphological, physical, chemical and mechanical properties of the fibers and composites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, tensile and flexural tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), thermogravimetry (TGA) and diferential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results of tensile tests indicated an increase in tensile strength of the composites after the chemical treatment of the fibers, with best results for the hydrogen peroxide treated fibers, even though the tensile strength of fibers was slightly reduced. This suggests a better interaction fiber/matrix which was also observed by SEM fractographs. The glass transition temperature (Tg) was reduced for all composites compared to the pure polymer which can be attributed to the absorption of solvents, moisture and other low molecular weight molecules by the fibers

Compósitos poliméricos a base de fibras de licuri: efeitos da hibridização e do envelhecimento ambiental acelerado

The gradual replacement of conventional materials by the ones called composite materials is becoming a concern about the response of these composites against adverse environmental conditions, such as ultraviolet radiation, high temperature and moist. Also the search for new composite using natural fibers or a blend of it with synthetic fibers as reinforcement has been studied. In this sense, this research begins with a thorough study of microstructural characterization of licuri fiber, as a proposal of alternative reinforcement to polymeric composites. Thus, a study about the development of two composite laminates was done. The first one, involving only the fiber of licuri and the second comprising a hybrid composite based of fiber glass E and the fiber of licuri, in order to know the performance of the fiber when of fiber across the hybridization process. The laminates were made in the form of plates using the tereftálica ortho-polyester resin as matrix. The composite laminate made only by licuri fiber had two reinforcing fabric layers of unidirectional licuri and the hybrid composite had two reinforcing layers of unidirectional licuri fabric and three layers of fiber short glass-E mat. Finally, both laminates was exposed to aging acceleration in order to study the influence of environmental degradation involving the mechanical properties and fracture characteristics thereof. Regarding the mechanical properties of composites, these were determined through uniaxial tensile tests, uniaxial compression and three bending points for both laminates in original state, and uniaxial tensile tests and three bending points after accelerated aging. As regards the study of structural degradation due to aging of the laminates, it was carried out based on microscopic analysis and microstructure, as well as measuring weight loss. The characteristics of the fracture was performed by macroscopic and microscopic (optical and SEM) analysis. In general, the laminated composites based on fiber licuri showed some advantages in their responses to environmental aging. These advantages are observed in the behavior related to stiffness as well as the microstructural degradation and photo-oxidation processes. However, the structural integrity of this laminate was more affected in case the action of uniaxial tensile loads, where it was noted a lower rate of withholding his last resistance property

Efeitos do envelhecimento ambiental acelerado em compósitos poliméricos

The advantages of the use of vegetable fibers on the synthetic fibers, such as glass fibers, in the reinforcements in composites are: low cost, low density, good tenacity, good thermal properties and reduced use of instruments for their treatment or processing. However, problems related to poor performance of some mechanical natural fibers, have hindered its direct use in structural elements. In this sense, the emergence of alternative materials such as hybrids composites, involving natural and synthetic fibers, has been encouraged by seeking to improve the performance of structural composites based only on natural fibers. The differences between the physical, chemical and mechanical properties of these fibers, especially facing the adverse environmental conditions such as the presence of moisture and ultraviolet radiation, is also becoming a concern in the final response of these composites. This piece of research presents a comparative study of the strength and stiffness between two composite, both of ortoftalic polyester matrix, one reinforced with fibers of glass-E (CV) and other hybrid reinforced with natural fibers of curauá and fiberglass-E (CH). All the comparative study is based on the influence of exposure to UV rays and steam heated water in composites, simulating the aging environment. The conditions for the tests are accelerated through the use of the aging chamber. The composites will be evaluated through tests of uniaxial static mechanical traction and bending on three points. The composite of glass fiber and hybrid manufacturing industry are using the rolling manual (hand lay-up) and have been developed in the form of composites. All were designed to meet possible structural applications such as tanks and pipes. The reinforcements used in composites were in the forms of short fiber glass-E quilts (450g/m2 - 5cm) of continuous wires and fuses (whose title was of 0.9 dtex) for the curauá fibers. The results clearly show the influence of aging on the environmental mechanical performance of the composite CV and CH. The issues concerning the final characteristics of the fracture for all types of cargoes studied were also analyzed

Estudo das propriedades mecânicas de biocompósitos de polipropileno reforçados com fibras naturais

This research presents an approach to the addition of curauá fibers and licuri fibers in a polypropylene resin matrix, such as an alternative proposal to reinforce the polymeric composites. Fiber content of 0 %, 5 %, 10 %, and 20% were analyzed for verification of their mechanical properties comparing them, inclusive with the properties of polypropylene. The grainulated biocomposites had been prepared in an extrusora. The test bodies had been molded by injection and submitted to the mechanical essays uniaxial traction, flexion on three points, impact, in addition to thermal tests (HDT). These biocomposites had been also subjected the essay physicist-chemistry index of fluidity (IF). It was observed that the biocomposites of PP with 20% curauá, obtained bigger increase in the modulus of elasticity and a bigger reduction in the resistance to the impact. In the mechanical behavior, for all the biocomposites, these were increases in values of the limit of drainage and tension of rupture, when tested by uniaxial traction, as they added the fibers. Another important point was the increase of the resistance the flexion. It was also noted that the addition of fibers reduced the thermal degradation of the mixture natural fibers / polypropylene.

Compósito reforçado com sisal para aplicação na moda

The objective of this research is the fabrication of a composite reinforced with dyed sisal fiber and polyester matrix for application in the fields such as, fashion, clothing, interior textiles; fashion accessories are some of the examples. For the fabrication of the composite, the sisal fibers were subjected to processes such as: chemical treatment with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) in the removal of impurities; bleaching for removing the yellowish color of the natural fiber and dyeing with direct dyes to confer the colors blue, green and orange. The search for new technologies ecologically correct has become a major concern in recent decades. Studies show that composite polymer reinforced by natural fibers is suitable for a large number of applications, and its use is advantageous in terms of economic and ecological. The dyed fibers were cut to a length of 30 mm, is used in the confection of webs. For this purpose, a web preparer by immersion, developed in the Laboratory of Chemical Textile of UFRN. The composite sheets measuring 300 x 300 x3 mm were molded by compression, with unsaturated orthophthalic polyester as matrix, and the samples in sizes 150 x 25 x 3 mm were cut with the aid of a laser machine, to be subjected to traction and flexion. The mechanical properties of traction and flexion in three points were performed in the Laboratory of metal and mechanical tests of Materials Engineering of UFRN. The resulting samples from the tests were evaluated in scanning electron microscope (SEM) at CTGas RN. On the basis of the analysis of the results from the mechanical tests, it was observed that the composite had good mechanical behavior, both in traction as in flexion. Furthermore, it was observed that in the water absorption test, the samples had a different percentage among themselves, this occurred due to the variation of density found in the fibre webs. The images of the SEM showed the failures from the manufacturing process and the adhesion of fibre/matrix. When the samples were prepared with the dyed fibers to be applied in fashion, the results were positive, and it can be concluded that the main objective of this work was achieved

Obtenção de emulsões asfálticas convencionais e modificadas com argilas e nanoargilas

The increasing demand for asphalt leads to the development of techniques that can improve the quality of products and increase the useful working life of pavements. Consequently, there is a growing application of asphalt emulsions, which are produced from a mixture of petroleum asphalt cement (CAP) with an aqueous phase. The main advantage of asphalt emulsions is its cold application, reducing energy costs. Conventional emulsions are obtained using asphalt, water, solvent, and additives. The modified asphalt emulsion is developed by adding a modifying agent to conventional emulsions. These modifiers can be natural fibers, waste polymers, nanomaterials. In this work modified asphalt emulsion were obtained using organoclays. First, it was prepared a conventional asphalt emulsion with the following mass proportion: 50% of 50/70 penetration grade CAP, 0.6% of additives and 3% of emulsifier, 20% of solvent and 26.4% of water. It was used bentonite and vermiculite (1% and 4%) to obtain the modified asphalt emulsion. Bentonite and vermiculite were added in its raw state and as an organoclay form and as an organoclay-acid form, resulting in 26 experimental runs. The methodology described by Qian et al. (2011), with modifications, was used to obtain the organoclay and the organoclay-acid form. infrared spectroscopy (IR)) were used to characterize the clays and nanoclays. The emulsions were prepared in a colloidal mill, using 30 minutes and 1 hour as mixing time. After, the emulsions were characterized. The following tests were performed, in accordance with the Brazilian specifications (DNER- 369/97): sieve analysis, Saybolt Furol viscosity, pH determination, density, settlement and storage stability, residue by evaporation, and penetration of residue. Finally, it can be concluded that the use of nanoclays as asphalt modifiers represent a viable alternative to the road paving industry

Tratamentos de fibras de carnaúba [copernicia prunífera (miller) h. e. moore] para o desenvolvimento de compósito biodegradável com matriz de polihidroxibutirato

The use of raw materials from renewable sources for production of materials has been the subject of several studies and researches, because of its potential to substitute petrochemical-based materials. The addition of natural fibers to polymers represents an alternative in the partial or total replacement of glass fibers in composites. In this work, carnauba leaf fibers were used in the production of biodegradable composites with polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) matrix. To improve the interfacial properties fiber / matrix were studied four chemical treatments to the fibers..The effect of the different chemical treatments on the morphological, physical, chemical and mechanical properties of the fibers and composites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, tensile and flexural tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), thermogravimetry (TGA) and diferential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results of tensile tests indicated an increase in tensile strength of the composites after the chemical treatment of the fibers, with best results for the hydrogen peroxide treated fibers, even though the tensile strength of fibers was slightly reduced. This suggests a better interaction fiber/matrix which was also observed by SEM fractographs. The glass transition temperature (Tg) was reduced for all composites compared to the pure polymer which can be attributed to the absorption of solvents, moisture and other low molecular weight molecules by the fibers

Compósitos poliméricos a base de fibras de licuri: efeitos da hibridização e do envelhecimento ambiental acelerado

The gradual replacement of conventional materials by the ones called composite materials is becoming a concern about the response of these composites against adverse environmental conditions, such as ultraviolet radiation, high temperature and moist. Also the search for new composite using natural fibers or a blend of it with synthetic fibers as reinforcement has been studied. In this sense, this research begins with a thorough study of microstructural characterization of licuri fiber, as a proposal of alternative reinforcement to polymeric composites. Thus, a study about the development of two composite laminates was done. The first one, involving only the fiber of licuri and the second comprising a hybrid composite based of fiber glass E and the fiber of licuri, in order to know the performance of the fiber when of fiber across the hybridization process. The laminates were made in the form of plates using the tereftálica ortho-polyester resin as matrix. The composite laminate made only by licuri fiber had two reinforcing fabric layers of unidirectional licuri and the hybrid composite had two reinforcing layers of unidirectional licuri fabric and three layers of fiber short glass-E mat. Finally, both laminates was exposed to aging acceleration in order to study the influence of environmental degradation involving the mechanical properties and fracture characteristics thereof. Regarding the mechanical properties of composites, these were determined through uniaxial tensile tests, uniaxial compression and three bending points for both laminates in original state, and uniaxial tensile tests and three bending points after accelerated aging. As regards the study of structural degradation due to aging of the laminates, it was carried out based on microscopic analysis and microstructure, as well as measuring weight loss. The characteristics of the fracture was performed by macroscopic and microscopic (optical and SEM) analysis. In general, the laminated composites based on fiber licuri showed some advantages in their responses to environmental aging. These advantages are observed in the behavior related to stiffness as well as the microstructural degradation and photo-oxidation processes. However, the structural integrity of this laminate was more affected in case the action of uniaxial tensile loads, where it was noted a lower rate of withholding his last resistance property