Obtaining thermoplastic nanocomposites using lignin/hemicellulose-rich fibers from sugarcane bagasse and mechanochemical processes

• Grant number: 25/04301-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Marcos Vinicius Lorevice
• Grantee: Pedro Henrique Kenzo Nishimoto
• Host Institution: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The production and use of synthetic polymers have grown exponentially since the 1950s, generating billions of tons of plastic waste. If this trend continues, it is estimated that 12 billion tons will be in landfills or the environment by 2050. In this context, biopolymers such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, refined from sugarcane biomass (SCB), have the potential to replace conventional polymers, but the thermal degradation of these biopolymers limits their thermoplastic application before melting. To overcome this limitation, chemical modifications can be performed, such as periodate oxidation followed by reduction, which has resulted in biopolymers with promising thermal properties for thermoplastic applications. However, the high demand for reagents represents a scientific-technological barrier to scaling up this chemical route. This project aims to develop thermoplastic nanocomposites from SCB, combining oxidative cleavage, reduction, and mechanochemical routes. Alkaline pulps will be produced and subsequently modified by reactive extrusion. The use of heating and metal salts may be investigated to reduce reagent consumption. The modified alkaline pulps will be characterized for the degree of modification (titration and UV-vis spectroscopy), topography (atomic force microscopy), and thermal properties (differential scanning calorimetry) and correlated to the parameters of the mechanochemical modification process to optimize the process. Finally, the modified alkaline pulps will be thermo-pressed as a proof of concept for the processability of this material, thus demonstrating the applicability of these modified materials as an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional polymers.