Effect of the moisture and fiber content on the mechanical properties of biodegradable polymer and sisal fiber biocomposites

VERA ALVAREZ; ALICIA FRAGA; ANALÍA VÁZQUEZ

JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE

JOHN WILEY & SONS INC

Lugar: New York; Año: 2004 vol. 91 p. 4007 - 4016

0021-8995

The matrix of the composites that were used in this work was a commercial blend based on starch and cellulose derivatives. The biodegradable polymer was reinforced by short-sisal fibers with a range in fiber content of 5?15 wt %. The effects of humidity on the diffusion coefficients, equilibrium moisture content, and mechanical properties were studied. Equations obtained from microscopic mass balances for diffusion in solids were used to predict the absorbed humidity in both components (the sisal fibers and biodegradable polymer) and in the composites as a function of time. Different model predictions of the composite diffusion coefficients as a function of the filler oncentration were also examined, and they were found to be in agreement with the experimental results.