Composites based on acylated cellulose fibers and low-density polyethylene: Eff...

• Author(s): Freire, Carmen S. R. ; Silvestre, Armando J. D. ; Neto, Carlos Pascoal ; Gandini, Alessandro ; Martin, Loli ; Mondragon, Iñaki
• Date: 2008
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10773/5177
• Origin: RIA - Repositório Institucional da Universidade de Aveiro
• Subject(s): Fibers; Mechanical properties; Thermal properties; Surface treatments; Fatty acids
• Document Type: Article
• Language: English

Description

Low-density polyethylene was filled with unmodified and fatty acid (hexanoic, dodecanoic, octadecanoic and docosanoic acids) esterified cellulose fibers. The thermal and mechanical properties, morphology and the water absorption behavior of the ensuing composites were investigated. The chemical modification of the cellulose fibers with fatty acids clearly improved the interfacial adhesion with the matrix and hence the mechanical properties of the composites and decreased their water uptake capacity. The performance of the composites was strongly affected by the degree of substitution (DS) and the fatty chain length as indicated by the fact that esterified cellulose fibers with low DS gave composites with better mechanical properties. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.