The incorporation of untreated and alkali-treated banana fiber in SEBS composites

Author(s)

Letícia Cuebas ^[1] ; José Armando Bertolini Neto ^[2] ; Renata Tâmara Pereira de Barros ^[3] ; Alexandre Oka Thomaz Cordeiro ^[4] ; Derval dos Santos Rosa ^[5] ; Cristiane Reis Martins ^[6]

Affiliation

^[1] Universidade Federal do ABC. Centro de Engenharia, Modelagem e Ciências Sociais Aplicadas - Brasil

^[2] Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas - Brasil

^[3] Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas - Brasil

^[4] Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas - Brasil

^[5] Universidade Federal do ABC. Centro de Engenharia, Modelagem e Ciências Sociais Aplicadas - Brasil

^[6] Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas - Brasil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: POLIMEROS-CIENCIA E TECNOLOGIA; v. 30, n. 4 2021-03-12.

Abstract

Abstract In this work, banana fiber was used as reinforcement for the preparation of a thermoplastic elastomer composite (TPE). Few studies are exploring the natural fiber incorporation on TPEs, with no one using banana fiber. The fiber was extracted from banana pseudostem and modified with an alkaline solution. The untreated and treated banana fibers were incorporated in 2%, 5%, and 10% in SEBS. The mixture was performed in a thermokinetic mixer (K-Mixer) and plates prepared by compression molding. The composites were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM), tensile testing, mechanical dynamical analysis (DMA). It can be observed that the samples with untreated fibers presented a higher tensile strength, except for the incorporation of 5% of BF. Young's modulus increase as the fiber's incorporation grows, indicating greater rigidity of the composite. It was found that the chemically treated banana fiber composites, e.g., TPE/TBF5 and TPE/TBF10, shows a 15.4% and 22.2% higher elongation. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/11277-7 - PBAT films with cellulose nanostructures treated with essential oils encapsulated for active packaging
• Grantee: Derval dos Santos Rosa
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants