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Green composites from wheat protein isolate and Hildegardia Populifolia natural fabric
Author(s) -
Jagadeesh Dani,
Jeevan Pradsad Reddy D.,
Varada Rajulu A.,
Li R.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.21055
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , ultimate tensile strength , glutaraldehyde , thermal stability , biodegradation , scanning electron microscope , plasticizer , flexural strength , composite number , izod impact strength test , polymer , reinforcement , chemical engineering , medicine , chemistry , organic chemistry , pathology , engineering
Completely biodegradable composites were prepared using modified wheat protein isolate (WPI) as matrix and the uniaxial natural fabric Hildegardia Populifolia as reinforcement. The WPI was cross‐linked with glutaraldehyde in the presence of glycerol plasticizer. These polymer composites were subsequently subjected to evaluation for their mechanical, morphological (SEM), thermal (TGA/DMA) properties, and biodegradation behavior. The mechanical properties such as tensile strength and flexural strength of the composite increased with increase in fabric loading up to 10% and decreased therefore. Further, the alkali treatment of the fabric and use of a coupling agent enhanced the mechanical properties. The scanning electron micrographs of the fractured surface of the composites indicated facilitation of better bonding between the matrix and reinforcement by the coupling agent. In case of thermal behavior, results indicated that the presence of fabric affected the thermal stability of polymer matrix. Biodegradability of the composites was also been studied by soil burial method, and the composites were found to degrade up to 95% in 35 days. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers