Polímeros

 

Weathering and biodegradation of polylactic acid composite reinforced with cellulosewhiskers

 

El intemperismo y la biodegradación de material compuesto de ácido poliláctico reforzado con whiskers de celulosa

 

G.I. Bolio-López¹*, L. Veleva², A. Valadez-González³ and P. Quintana-Owen³

 

¹ Universidad Popular de la Chontalpa, Carr. Cárdenas-Hguillo. Km.2.5, Cárdenas, Tab. * Corresponding author. E-mail: ivettebl@cicy.mx

² CINVESTAV-Mérida, Applied Physics, Ant. Carret. a Progreso, Km.6, Cordemex, 97310 Mérida, Yuc.

³ CICY Unit Materials, St. 43 No. 130. Chuburná de Hidalgo, 97200 Mérida, Yuc.

 

Received 9 of October 2012
Accepted 28 of November 2012

 

Abstract

This work focuses on analysis and comparison of accelerated weathering of samples of polylactic acid reinforced with cellulose whiskers (PLA-CW), conducted in QUV chamber-Panel, and their subsequent exposure to biotic soil environment. The cellulose whiskers (microfibrils) were obtained from banana rachis and pseudostem Musa cavendish. Changes in thermal, structural and mechanical properties, due to degradation processes of PLA-CW, were studied using DSC, IR Spectroscopy, XRD, NMR, GPC and Mechanical test. The results show that the percentage of biodegradability in soil, based on CO₂ release, is higher for samples of PLA-CW that have been previously exposed to UV-photodegradation, which induces hydrolysis that stimulates the biodegradability of PLA-CW. The results indicate that PLA-CW has short half-life after biodegradation in soil and it is suitable for land disposal.

Keywords: weathering, biodegradation, cellulose whiskers, poly (L-lactic) acid biocomposite.

 

Resumen

En este estudio se investigó la biodegradación en suelo del material compuesto de ácido poliláctico reforzado con whiskers (microfibrillas) de celulosa (PLA-CW), obtenidas de raquis y pseudotallo de Musa cavendish previamente expuesto y no a los efectos de radiación UV (intemperismo acelerado en cámaras QUV-Panel). Los cambios en las propiedades térmicas y estructurales, debido a los procesos de degradación de muestras de PLA-CW, fueron determinados usando Calorimetría Diferencial de Barrido, Espectroscopía de Infrarrojo, Difracción de Rayos-X, Resonancia Magnética Nuclear y Cromatografía de Permeación en Gel. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que existe un efecto sinérgico para el proceso de biodegradación, cuando las muestras PLA-CW son expuestas a intemperismo y posteriormente a biodegradación en suelo. La fotodegradación del material induce reacciones de hidrólisis, mejorando y acelerando el proceso de biodegradabilidad de PLA-CW, ya que el polímero compuesto se vuelve más susceptible a las reacciones bióticas. Los resultados reportados aquí indican que los materiales tienen un corto tiempo de vida media en ambientes bióticos y por lo tanto después de su uso son adecuados para su eliminación en suelo.

Palabras clave: intemperismo, biodegradación, whiskers de celulosa, biocompuestos de ácido poliláctico.

 

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