Volume 127, Issue 5 pp. 3613-3621
Article

Increasing the elongation at break of polyhydroxybutyrate biopolymer: Effect of cellulose nanowhiskers on mechanical and thermal properties

Patrícia S. de O. Patrício

Corresponding Author

Patrícia S. de O. Patrício

Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de Minas Gerais, Av. Amazonas, 5253, Belo Horizonte, MG CEP 30421-169, Brazil

Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de Minas Gerais, Av. Amazonas, 5253, Belo Horizonte, MG CEP 30421-169, Brazil===Search for more papers by this author
Fabiano V. Pereira

Fabiano V. Pereira

Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG CEP 31270-901, Brazil

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Meriane C. dos Santos

Meriane C. dos Santos

Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de Minas Gerais, Av. Amazonas, 5253, Belo Horizonte, MG CEP 30421-169, Brazil

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Patterson P. de Souza

Patterson P. de Souza

Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de Minas Gerais, Av. Amazonas, 5253, Belo Horizonte, MG CEP 30421-169, Brazil

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Juan P. B. Roa

Juan P. B. Roa

Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia – Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri- Campus JK -Rodovia MGT 367/Km 583, 5000 - Alto da Jacuba - Diamantina/MG CEP- 39100-000

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Rodrigo L. Orefice

Rodrigo L. Orefice

Departamento de Engenharia Metalúrgica e de Materiais, Universidade de Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG CEP 31270-901, Brazil

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First published: 22 May 2012
Citations: 73

Abstract

Bionanocomposites based on polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and cellulose nanowhiskers (CNWs) were prepared by dispersing CNWs in poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) plasticizer subsequently incorporating the CNWs/PEG suspensions in the matrix. The thermal properties of the nanocomposites indicate an enlargement in the processing window in comparison to the neat PHB. The nanocomposites showed a remarkable increase in the strain level (50 times related to the neat PHB), without a significant loss of the tensile strength with the incorporation of small concentrations of CNWs in the final nanocomposite (up to 0.45 wt %). This behavior was explained in terms of a considerable chain orientation promoted by the presence of CNWs in the same direction of the applied load, which activated shear flow of the polymer matrix. The results described here can be explored to extend the applications of this biopolymer. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013

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