Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

One-step enzymatic grafting of ferulic acid with cellulose to enhance matrices–fibres compatibility in bio-composites

  • Materials for life sciences
  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Bio-composites elaboration is limited by poor interfaces between cellulose and polymer matrices and the cellulose degradation. Achieving cellulose grafting with ferulic acid should enhance those resulting bio-composites mechanical properties. Therefore, a cellulose suspension was modified with ferulic acid using laccase under reaction conditions set at 60 °C, acetate buffer pH 5 for 24 h. Grafted cellulose fibrils were extruded in polypropylene-grafted maleic acid (PPgMA) for mechanical properties studies. Even if ferulic acid interacted with cellulose without any enzyme presence, the acid resilience was only detected for cellulose fibres modified with ferulic acid proving the surface grafting. Cellulose fibrillary lengths were unaffected by the enzymatic treatment suggesting a tiny coating. The resulting bio-composites had a Young modulus reduction of 12%. The elongation at maximal stress had 23% improvement, corresponding to a material mechanical resistance. This result was also confirmed by bio-composite elaboration with natural fibres under the same conditions. Ferulic acid and cellulose blends have improved the hardness properties of the resulting bio-composites with PP-PPgMA.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Yan L, Chouw N, Jayaraman K (2014) Flax fibre and its composites – A review. Compos B Eng 56:296–317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2013.08.014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Ravi M, Dubey RR, Shome A et al (2018) Effect of surface treatment on natural fibers composite. IOP Conf Ser Mater Sci Eng 376:012053. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/376/1/012053

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Jandura P, Riedl B, Kokta BV (2000) Thermal degradation behavior of cellulose fibers partially esterified with some long chain organic acids. Polym Degrad Stab 70:387–394. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0141-3910(00)00132-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Nada AMA, Hassan ML (2000) Thermal behavior of cellulose and some cellulose derivatives. Polym Degrad Stab 67:111–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0141-3910(99)00100-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Zimniewska M, Wladyka-Przybylak M, Mankowski J (2011) Cellulosic bast fibers, their structure and properties suitable for composite applications. In: Kalia S, Kaith BS, Kaur I (eds) Cellulose fibers: bio- and nano-polymer composites. Springer, Berlin, pp 97–119

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  6. Temmerman E, Akishev Y, Trushkin N et al (2005) Surface modification with a remote atmospheric pressure plasma: dc glow discharge and surface streamer regime. J Phys D Appl Phys 38:505–509. https://doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/38/4/001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Burrola-Núñez H, Herrera-Franco PJ, Rodríguez-Félix DE et al (2018) Surface modification and performance of jute fibers as reinforcement on polymer matrix: an overview. J Nat Fibers 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/15440478.2018.1441093

  8. Agrawal R, Saxena NS, Sharma KB et al (2000) Activation energy and crystallization kinetics of untreated and treated oil palm fibre reinforced phenol formaldehyde composites. Mater Sci Eng A 277:77–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-5093(99)00556-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Li X, Tabil LG, Panigrahi S (2007) Chemical treatments of natural fiber for use in natural fiber-reinforced composites: a review. J Polym Environ 15:25–33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-006-0042-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Doherty WOS, Mousavioun P, Fellows CM (2011) Value-adding to cellulosic ethanol: lignin polymers. Ind Crops Prod 33:259–276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2010.10.022

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Marjamaa K, Kruus K (2018) Enzyme biotechnology in degradation and modification of plant cell wall polymers. Physiol Plant 164:106–118. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppl.12800

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Kharazipour A, Mai C, Hüttermann A (1998) Polyphenoles for compounded materials. Polym Degrad Stab 59:237–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0141-3910(97)00157-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Aracri E, Roncero MB, Vidal T (2011) Studying the effects of laccase-catalysed grafting of ferulic acid on sisal pulp fibers. Biores Technol 102:7555–7560. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2011.05.046

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Hüttermann A, Majcherczyk A, Braun-Lüllemann A et al (2000) Enzymatic activation of lignin leads to an unexpected copolymerization with carbohydrates. Naturwissenschaften 87:539–541

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Slagman S, Zuilhof H, Franssen MCR (2018) Laccase-mediated grafting on biopolymers and synthetic polymers: a critical review. ChemBioChem 19:288–311. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbic.201700518

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Sluiter A, Hames B, Ruiz R et al (2012) Determination of structural carbohydrates and lignin in biomass. LAP 1–18

  17. Sohn YT, Oh JH (2003) Characterization of physicochemical properties of ferulic acid. Arch Pharmacal Res 26:1002–1008. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02994749

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. AL-Oqla FM, Sapuan SM (2014) Natural fiber reinforced polymer composites in industrial applications: feasibility of date palm fibers for sustainable automotive industry. J Clean Prod 66:347–354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.10.050

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. French AD (2014) Idealized powder diffraction patterns for cellulose polymorphs. Cellulose 21:885–896. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-013-0030-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Alexandre Schandeler for his technical help and his wise recommendations about this project. This project was supported by the INTERREG France-Wallonie-Vlanderen Call V which granted this work as part of the COMPOSENS project. The authors also would like to thank Prof. Dr. Ir. Blecker Laboratory (University of Liège, Belgium) who has kindly given access to the TGA and DSC apparatus. The authors are grateful to the laboratory of Prof. Damblon (University of Liège-Belgium) for NMR profile and Prof. Vertruyen (University of Liège, Belgium) for the XRD diffractograms. We also express our gratitude to the CERTECH (Seneffe, Belgium) which kindly performed the bio-composites extrusion and the tensile test.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Biomass and Green Technologies, University of Liège - Gembloux Agro-bio Tech, Passage des Déportés, 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium

    Sophie Morin, Lauris Bockstal & Aurore Richel

  2. Food Science and Formulation, University of Liège – Gembloux Agro-bio Tech, Passage des Déportés, 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium

    Nicolas Jacquet

Authors
  1. Sophie Morin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lauris Bockstal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nicolas Jacquet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Aurore Richel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sophie Morin.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 719 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Morin, S., Bockstal, L., Jacquet, N. et al. One-step enzymatic grafting of ferulic acid with cellulose to enhance matrices–fibres compatibility in bio-composites. J Mater Sci 54, 13314–13321 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-019-03832-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-019-03832-x

Search

Navigation