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Processing and Characterization of Environmentally Friendly Composites from Biobased Polyethylene and Natural Fillers from Thyme Herbs

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Abstract

The main aim of this research work is to assess the potential of a distillery waste from thyme as multifunctional filler in natural fiber reinforced plastics (NFRP) with biobased polyethylene matrix. Several ethylene-based copolymers with different co-monomers (vinyl alcohol, methyl methacrylate, glycidyl methacrylate and acrylic acid) were used as compatibilizer agents to overcome the lack of compatibility between the highly hydrophobic matrix and the highly hydrophilic lignocellulosic filler. The effect of the compatibilizer type and amount, as well as the lignocellulosic filler content was followed by thermal, mechanical, morphological and rheological characterizations. In addition to the typical filler effect, thyme also provides a remarkable increase in thermal stability at moderate temperatures with a positive effect on widening the processing window. The compatibilizer agent that offers best balanced properties is the glycidyl methacrylate copolymer with a noticeable increase in stiffness, flexural and tensile strength. Regarding processability, the viscosity increases with the filler content. This is highly important at low shear rates but the effect is almost negligible at high shear rates typical of injection molding processes.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness—MINECO through the grant number MAT2014-59242-C2-1-R. Authors also wish to thank “Licores Sinc, S.A.” for kindly supplying the Thymus moroderi wastes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials Technology Institute, Universitat Politècnica de València, Plaza Ferrándiz y Carbonell, s/n, 03801, Alcoy, Spain

    N. Montanes, D. Garcia-Sanoguera, V. J. Segui, O. Fenollar & T. Boronat

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  1. N. Montanes
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  2. D. Garcia-Sanoguera
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  3. V. J. Segui
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  4. O. Fenollar
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  5. T. Boronat
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Correspondence to T. Boronat.

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Montanes, N., Garcia-Sanoguera, D., Segui, V.J. et al. Processing and Characterization of Environmentally Friendly Composites from Biobased Polyethylene and Natural Fillers from Thyme Herbs. J Polym Environ 26, 1218–1230 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-017-1025-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-017-1025-2

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