Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: 1.Toughening of PHAs (Polyhydroxybutyrate, PHB; polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate, PHBV) through eco-friendly plasticization/chain extension mechanism/blending (required to maintain requisite stiffness-toughness balance).2. Nano-reinforcement of toughened PHAs through organo-clays specifically silane/titanate coupling agent based treated clays. 3. Wood fiber reinforcements: To synergistically combine nanocomposites with wood fibers thus resulting high performance structural nano-biomaterials. 4. Injection molded and thermoformed processing to fabricate the nano-biomaterials. 5. Structure-property-processing-modeling co-relationship: To understand the fundamental aspects of this research. PARTICIPANTS: S.P. Singh and S. Singh, Michigan State University TARGET AUDIENCES: Manufacturers of new composite bio-based plastics. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Compositional optimization of the two reinforcing agents, i.e., talc and wood fiber, in polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate (PHBV) matrix using the extrusion-injection molding of the hybrid biocomposite system was carried out. The compositional design of hybrid green composites primarily focused to create an apposite balance among the cost effectiveness, environment friendliness and the characteristics of the hybrid composites. Static and dynamic-mechanical, thermo-mechanical and morphological analyses of these hybrid biocomposites were characterized in addition to the biodegradation and water absorption study of the optimized composition. The hybrid green composites showed a pronounced leap of 200 percent in the Young's and flexural modulus with the dual reinforcement of 20 wt percent of talc and 20 wt percent of wood fiber in PHBV. The strength of the matrix was not compromised in the hybrid system. The dynamo-mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties of the composite depicted the similar trend. The increment of HDT by 10 degrees C, and the reduction in CLTE by 36 percent with respect to that of PHBV were observed. The DSC analysis did not depict any additional crystallization of PHBV due to the addition of talc in it. The Morphological analysis of the hybrid composite using SEM revealed the better interfacial interaction and uniform dispersion of talc with PHBV than wood fiber.
Publications
- Singh, S., Mohanty, A.K. and Misra, M. (2009). Hybrid Biocomposites from PHA, Wood Fiber and Talc, Composite Part A, available online December 2009.
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Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Compositional optimization of the two reinforcing agents, i.e., talc and wood fiber, in polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate (PHBV) matrix using the extrusion-injection molding of the hybrid biocomposite system was carried out. The compositional design of hybrid green composites primarily focused to create an apposite balance among the cost effectiveness, environment friendliness and the characteristics of the hybrid composites. Static and dynamic-mechanical, thermo-mechanical and morphological analyses of these hybrid biocomposites were characterized in addition to the biodegradation and water absorption study of the optimized composition. The hybrid green composites showed a pronounced leap of 200 percent in the Young's and flexural modulus with the dual reinforcement of 20 wt percent of talc and 20 wt percent of wood fiber in PHBV. The strength of the matrix was not compromised in the hybrid system. The dynamo-mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties of the composite depicted the similar trend. The increment of HDT by 10 degrees C, and the reduction in CLTE by 36 percent with respect to that of PHBV were observed. The DSC analysis did not depict any additional crystallization of PHBV due to the addition of talc in it. The Morphological analysis of the hybrid composite using SEM revealed the better interfacial interaction and uniform dispersion of talc with PHBV than wood fiber. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Novel biodegradable green composites are being developed.
Publications
- Singh, S., Mohanty, A.K., Sugie, T., Takai, Y., and Hamada, H. (2008). Renewable resource based biocomposites from natural fiber and polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate, (PHBV) bioplastic, Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 39(5): 875-886.
- Singh, S, Mohanty, A.K. 2008. Novel Biodegradable Hybrid Green composites from Polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate (PHBV), Wood fiber and Talc. 10th International Conference on Progress in Biofibre Plastic Composites in Toronto, Canada.
- Singh, S, Mohanty, A.K. 2008. Hybrid Wood Plastic Green Composites from Polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate (PHBV), Wood fiber and Talc. Polymer Processing Society PPS-24, 24th Annual Meeting of the Polymer Processing Society, Salerno, Italy.
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Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate (PHBV) biodegradable plastic matrix was reinforced with the varying compositions of micro sized talc along with the synergetic reinforcement of the alkali treated wood fiber thus developing a three component hybrid biocomposite. Mechanical, dynamic-mechanical, thermo-mechanical and morphological analyses of these hybrid biocomposite were carried out. A specific hybrid composite loaded with 20 wt% of talc and wood fiber each in PHBV matrix showed a pronounced leap of 254% in the Young's modulus and 205% in the flexural modulus with the retained strength. The specific hybrid composite showed the increment of heat deflection temperature (HDT) by 10 degree C from 112 degree C of neat PHBV and the reduction in coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE) by 36% with respect to that of PHBV. Morphological analysis of the hybrid composite carried using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the uniform dispersion of talc particles in the
matrix of PHBV and interfacial interactions among the different components in the hybrid composite were observed. Microcellular injection molding process was utilized to develop the foam of the PHBV and PHBV-wood fiber composite in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Physical, mechanical, dynamo-mechanical properties and morphological evaluation of the foamed composites were carried out in order to have fundamental aspects of these light weight composites. The specific tensile strength and modulus of the foamed composites were improved by more than 20 and 25% respectively. The density of the foamed composites was reduced by ~20% over the sample without foaming. In order to have a comparison with wood fiber-PHBV biocomposites, the biocomposites of PHBV reinforced with the low density bamboo fiber were also fabricated and their performances were evaluated by testing various mechanical properties. This work was carried-out in
collaboration with Kyoto Institute of Technology, Japan. Thermo-mechanical characteristics were accessed by testing heat distortion temperature (HDT) and coefficient of linear thermal analysis (CLTE). Dynamic-mechanical analysis (DMA) and morphological characterization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were also performed. Statistical analysis based on 2-way ANOVA showed that the bamboo fiber based PHBV composite behaved almost similar to the wood fiber based PHBV composite in the mechanical properties. The tensile modulus and flexural modulus of bamboo fiber reinforced PHBV increased by ~175% and ~154%, respectively with 40% loading and the HDT by ~8%.
PARTICIPANTS: Individuals:(1)Principal investigator(s)/project director(s) (PIs/PDs); Dr. Amar K. Mohanty, Associate Professor, School of Packaging, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI-48824. He directs daily project activity and provides overall project guidance and supervision for the project personnel since initiation of the project activity at no cost basis. (2)Graduate Student: Mr. Sanjeev Singh, Graduate Research Assistant, School of Packaging, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI-48824. He does daily research, education and outreach activity and received 100% fellowship from this project since initiation of the project or activity. Partner Organizations: The following three organizations have provided in-kind support, supplied facilities or equipment, and also collaborated on this research project. (1)Kyoto Institute of Technology, Division of Advanced Fibro-Science, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan. (2)University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1513 University Avenue,
Madison, WI 53706. (3)University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3200 North Cramer Street, Milwaukee, WI 53211. Collaborators (national and international) on this project: (1)Professor Hiroyuki Hamada, Mr Tomohiko Sugie, Mr. Yoshihiro Takai, Division of Advanced Fibro-Science, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan are the new collaborators on this project. (2)Dr. Shaoqin Gong, Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3200 North Cramer Street, Milwaukee, WI 53211. (3)Professor Lih-Sheng Turng, and Mr. Adam J. Kramschuster, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1513 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706. Training or professional development: Mr. Sanjeev Singh, the graduate student from Michigan State University, who is working in this McIntire-Stennis project learned wood fiber composites processing and properties evaluation. He also learned microcellular foaming technique through collaborative works with University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Mr. Adam J. Kramschuster, the graduate student from the Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison acquired knowledge on PHBV based composites from this collaboration. Two master students (Mr. Tomohiko Sugie and Mr. Yoshihiro Takai) from Division of Advanced Fibro-Science, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Japan worked at Michigan State University along with the graduate student Mr Sanjeev Singh from School of Packaging, Michigan State University (MSU). This training developed improved skill of the students from Japan and the graduate student Mr. Singh acquired additional knowledge on Japan-based bamboo fibers a possible supplement for wood fiber based composites. Two high school students (Darrell Berry JR. and Lauren Harris during summer 2007 under the Michigan State University Multicultural Apprenticeship Program ( MAP) were exposed and trained in this project on biobased materials for 10 weeks.
TARGET AUDIENCES: This project would benefit the wood fiber composites based industries dealing with housing structures, furniture and packaging. The science-based knowledge developed from this project was communicated through conference presentations to the international bioenvironmental polymer society, and the Forest product division of American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
Impacts
This project developed collaborations with two US institutions (University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) and one institute in Japan (Kyoto Institute of Technology). Such collaborations created significant impacts in acquiring new applied knowledge in the emerging wood-biodegradable plastic based biocomposites. The graduate student (Sanjeev Singh from Michigan State University) working in this McIntire-Stennis project learned a new microcellular foaming technique through collaborative works with University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The graduate student (Adam J. Kramschuster) from the Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison acquired knowledge on PHBV based composites from this collaboration. Two master students (Tomohiko Sugie and Yoshihiro Takai) from Division of Advanced Fibro-Science, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Japan worked at Michigan State University along with the
graduate student Mr Sanjeev Singh from School of Packaging, Michigan State University (MSU). This certainly developed improved skill of the students from Japan and the graduate student Mr. Singh acquired additional knowledge on Japan-based bamboo fibers a possible supplement for wood fiber based composites. Bamboo is being viewed as a substitute to wood fiber because it has a phenomenal growth capability and comparable strength therefore, can be used in scarcity of wood fiber thus reducing the burden on timber production. Growth period of bamboo is 3 to 5 years as compared to 25 years of the commercial tree. Natural fibers and fillers such as mica, kaolin, calcium carbonate, and talc are frequently being used as reinforcing agent in the polymer matrix due to their abundant availability, low cost, and compatibility with nature. Growth of talc use in plastic industry has been approximated to be 3% in the last couple of years. USA alone accounts for ~13% of talc production world wide.
Mineral fillers especially talc has been used as a nucleating agent for PHBV matrix. But the effect of bulk quantity of talc on properties of PHBV is not extensively studied. The incorporation of high talc content in PHBV is beneficial in improving its thermo-mechanical properties and cost reduction. The higher density of the talc can be offset by the low density of wood fiber thus generating the wood fiber/talc hybrid composite of the improved specific mechanical properties. Foaming of the biocomposites produces a light weight and low cost composites resulting in an improved fuel economy when used in the automotive and structural sector.
Publications
- Singh, S., Mohanty, A. K., 2007, Wood fiber reinforced bacterial bioplastic composites: Fabrication and Performance Evaluation, Composites Science and Technology, 67 (9), 1753-1763.
- Singh, S., Mohanty, A. K., 2007, Biodegradable Green Hybrid Composites from Bacterial Bioplastic, American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), November 2007, Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah.
- Singh, S., Mohanty, A. K., 2007, Composites from Wood fiber and Polyhydroxy Alkanoates, International Symposium On Polymers And The Environment, Emerging Technology And Science, October 2007, Hilton Vancouver Hotel, Vancouver, Washington USA, Co-Hosted by the BioEnvironmental Polymer Society (BEPS Fourteenth Annual Meeting) and the Biodegradable Products Institute.
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Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06
Outputs
Biocomposites from maple wood fiber and a bacterial polyester i.e., polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate (PHBV) were fabricated through extrusion using a DSM micro-extruder followed by injection molding. The wood-fiber content of the biocomposites was varied from 10 to 40 wt. %. The effects of increasing wood fiber weight on the mechanical properties were evaluated by tensile, flexural and impact testing. Heat distortion temperature (HDT), coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) were carried out to assess thermal and thermo-mechanical characteristics. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and morphological studies using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were also performed. The tensile and flexural modulus of the biocomposites reinforced with 40 wt. % of wood fiber increased by 167% compared with neat PHBV. The impact strength decreased with the addition of wood fiber. For a theoretical understanding of the wood fiber content on
modulus, the Halpin-Tsai and Tsai-Pagano models were applied and were found to agree with the measured tensile modulus values. The storage modulus also exhibited an increasing trend with rising wood-fiber content in the biocomposites. The effectiveness of fibers on increasing the storage modulus of the biocomposites was evaluated by a coefficient factor, C. The HDT increased by 21% and CLTE decreased by 18% in the biocomposite containing 40 wt. % of wood fiber versus neat PHBV. The HDT and CLTE also showed decreasing trends with increasing fiber content up to 40 wt. %. Results from TGA confirmed the thermal stability of all biocomposites up to 250 degree C. The observed morphology of specimens from SEM reflected on the interfacial adhesion of the wood fiber to PHBV and uniform fiber distribution throughout the matrix at 30 wt. %. Comparative mechanical and dynamic mechanical analysis of biocomposites reinforced with wood and non-wood fiber (bamboo fiber) at 30 and 40 wt. % was carried
out. Both kinds of biocomposites reflected similar trends of behaviors in mechanical and dynamic mechanical aspects.
Impacts
Wood-plastic composites are gaining significant importance due to the reinforcing potential of lingo-cellulosic natural fibers along with the added advantages of using low cost and widely available wood fiber as a reinforcing agent. Drawbacks of glass fiber like high density, abrasion of processing equipments, handling issue, non recyclability and nondegrability are easily over come by natural fibers therefore makes them a favorable alternatives. Both of the components (wood fiber and PHBV) are derived from renewable resources, which make their choice preferable to the petroleum-based products. The biodegradability of the biocomposites under composting conditions is an advantage versus petroleum-based products. The ready availability of wood fiber in North America gives an economic edge to this region over the rest of world in developing renewable resources to their best advantage. Development of these biocomposites is a step towards the generation of a structural,
high-performance green material which can meet the criteria of sustainability and is an alternative to petroleum-based polymers and composites. Through our continued efforts in research we are committed to enhance new knowledge in the development of eco-friendly, biobased materials that can significantly promote the growing bio-economy era.
Publications
- Singh,S., and Mohanty, A.K., 2006, Renwable Resource-based Green Composites from Wood Fiber and Polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate Bioplasics (Full length Paper), 21st Annual Technical Conference of American Society for Composites (ASC), September 17-20, 2006, Dearborn, USA.
- Singh, S., and Mohanty, A.K., 2006, Biocomposites from Polyhydroxyalkonates and wood fiber,(Poster Presentation) BioEnviormental Polymer Society (BEPS) 13th annual meeting (International Degradable Plastics Symposium: Status of Biobased and Synthetic Polymer Technology), June 14-17, 2006,Chicago,USA.
- Singh, S., and Mohanty, A.K., 2006, Wood fiber reinforced boplastic composites: Fabrication and Performance, Composite Science and Technology, 2006 (In Press), Available online 25 January 2007.
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