Biocomposites of bio-polyethylene reinforced with a hydrothermal-alkaline sugarcane bagasse pulp and coupled with a bio-based compatibilizer

EHMAN, N.; ITA-NAGY, DIANA; FELISSIA F.E.; VALLEJOS M.E.; QUISPE, I.; AREA, M.C.; CHINGA-CARRASCO, G.

Lignocelluosic Biomass

MDPI

Lugar: Basel; Año: 2021; p. 79 - 94

Bio-polyethylene(BioPE, derived from sugarcane), sugarcane bagasse pulp, and two compatibilizers(fossil and bio-based), were used to manufacture biocomposite filaments for 3Dprinting. Biocomposite filaments were manufactured and characterized in detail,including measurement of water absorption, mechanical properties, thermalstability and decomposition temperature (thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA)).Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was performed to measure the glasstransition temperature (Tg). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was applied toassess the fracture area of the filaments after mechanical testing. Increasesof up to 10% in water absorption were measured for the samples with 40 wt%fibers and the fossil compatibilizer. The mechanical properties were improvedby increasing the fraction of bagasse fibers from 0% to 20% and 40%. Thesuitability of the biocomposite filaments was tested for 3D printing, and someshapes were printed as demonstrators. Importantly, in a cradle-to-gate lifecycle analysis of the biocomposites, we demonstrated that replacing fossilcompatibilizer with a bio-based compatibilizer contributes to a reduction inCO2-eq emissions, and an increase in CO2 capture, achieving a CO2-eq storage of2.12 kg CO2 eq/kg for the biocomposite containing 40% bagasse fibers and 6%bio-based compatibilizer.