Home / Journals / JRM / Vol.2, No.4, 2014
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  • Open AccessOpen Access

    EDITORIAL

    Editorial

    Hamid Kaddami, Alain Dufresne
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.4, pp. 247-248, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634125
    Abstract This article has no abstract. More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Physical and Mechanical Properties of Polymer Composite Materials Based on Olive Husk Flour

    Amar Boukerrou*, Dalila Hammiche, Djidjelli Hocine, Hassina Aouat
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.4, pp. 249-257, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634119
    Abstract The lack of compatibility between cellulose fi bers and some polymers, such as thermoplastics, is due on one hand to the hydrophilic nature of the vegetable fi bers and on the other hand to the hydrophobic character of the matrix. This incompatibility induces bad dispersion of the fi bers and the formation of a heterogeneous material with mechanical properties which are not very satisfactory. The scope of this article is to describe the possibility of using Olive Husk Flour (OHF) as reinforcement in the elaboration of a composite material based on polyvinyl chloride (PVC). In More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Evaluation of Mechanical Properties and Durability Performance of HDPE-Wood Composites

    M. Tazi1, F. Erchiqui1,*, F.Godard1, H. Kaddami2
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.4, pp. 258-263, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634120
    Abstract This article evaluates the mechanical properties and biodegradability of wood-plastic composite materials made from sawdust and thermoplastic polymer (HDPE). For the preparation of the composites, sawdust in different proportions with Maleic Anhydride grafted Polyethylene (MAPE) as the coupling agent was used. The mechanical properties and biodegradability of the biocomposites were successively characterized. The results indicate that adding sawdust particles to a polymer matrix improves the mechanical strength and stiffness of composites. The tensile strength of a composite with 3% coupling agent was improved by 13%, 34% and 54% respectively when 20%, 30% and 40% wood… More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Developing a Cost-Effective Composite Based on Electroless Nickel-Coated Cellulose Fibres for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

    P. Sittisart1,*, M.M. Hyland1, M.A. Hodgson1, C. Nguyen2, A. Fernyhough3
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.4, pp. 264-269, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634123
    Abstract A series of composites based on polypropylene with different loadings of nickel-coated cellulose fi bres (NCCF) were fabricated with the aim to create a composite suitable for EMI shielding and/or electrostatic discharge application. Various properties such as EMI shielding effectiveness, surface resistivity, volume resistivity and fl exural strength were characterised according to ASTM standard. Both surface and volume resistivity suggested that the electrical conductivity of NCCF was not high enough and the composite remains electrically non-conducting up to 40 wt% loading of NCCF. However, nickel particles were still able to shield electromagnetic radiation regardless of More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Biocomposites of Flax Fiber and Polylactic Acid: Processing and Properties

    Hedieh Teymoorzadeh1, Denis Rodrigue2,*
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.4, pp. 270-277, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634127
    Abstract This work investigates the effect of the addition of fl ax fi ber (15, 25, and 40 wt%) on the mechanical, morphological, rheological, and thermal properties of polylactic acid (PLA). In the fi rst step, no coupling agent was used to produce fully biodegradable and biobased composites. In particular, fl exural tests were performed on the composites to evaluate their mechanical properties, while density, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and rheological tests were also carried out. Scanning electron microscopy images (SEM) show good fl ax fi ber dispersion in the PLA matrix along More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Foam-Laid Thermoplastic Composites Based on Kraft Lignin and Softwood Pulp

    Antti Ojala1,*, Lisa Wikström1, Kalle Nättinen2, Jani Lehmonen3, Karita Kinnunen-Raudaskoski4
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.4, pp. 278-284, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634126
    Abstract This article presents a new method of producing thermomoldable nonwoven materials based on kraft lignin (KL) and softwood kraft pulp (KP). A mixture of starch acetate (SA) and triethyl citrate (TEC) was used as a water insoluble plasticizer for KL. The thermoplastic lignin (TPL) material with the optimized ratio of KL, SA and TEC was prepared in a twin-screw extruder. The TPL compound was ground and mixed with KP fi bers to produce thermoformable sheets using foam-laid technology. The formed webs were compression molded (CM) into plates and mechanically tested. The foam-laid composites had tensile More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Effect of Hemp Fiber on PET/Hemp Composites

    Aimé S. Fotso Talla1,2,*, Fouad Erchiqui1,2, Duygu Kocaefe1, Hamid Kaddami3
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.4, pp. 285-290, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634122
    Abstract The properties of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) reinforced with 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20% (w/w) alkaline-treated hemp fi bers were investigated following a series of processing stages. The fi ber concentration signifi cantly impacts the compounding process, yielding thermostable composites below 300°C. Their elastic moduli varied logarithmically with fi ber concentration, and were increased by up to 20% with respect to the nonreinforced formulation. Such reinforcement was, however, followed by a drastic decrease in the elongation at break, from more than 20 mm for the unreinforced PET to as low as 2.5 mm. Other properties More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Investigating the Viscoelastic Properties and Mechanical Performance of Wood Modifi ed by Biopolyester Treatments

    Marion Noël1,*, Warren Grigsby2, Thomas Volkmer1
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.4, pp. 291-305, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634118
    Abstract Oligomer systems based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA), poly(glycolic acid) (PGA), poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and poly(butylene adipate) (PBA) were impregnated in wood and polymerized in situ to improve the dimensional stability of the treated wood. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) was used to characterize the impact on the treated wood properties. Cell wall bulking treatments (PLA and PGA oligomers: OLA and OGA) induced softening and plasticization of wood components. Lumen fi lling treatments (PBS and PBA oligomers: OBS and OBA) led to minor decreases in treated wood stiffness with any softening dependent on the polymer melt More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Characterization of Cellulose Nanocrystals Grafted with Organic Acid Chloride of Different Sizes

    Aparecido Junior de Menezes1,3,*, Elson Longo2, Fábio Lima Leite1, Alain Dufresne3
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.4, pp. 306-313, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634121
    Abstract In the work presented in this article surface chemical modifi cation was applied to ramie cellulose nanocrystals by grafting organic acid chlorides presenting different lengths of the aliphatic chain. The objective of this surface chemical treatment was to enhance the nonpolar nature of the grafted nanocrystals and improve their dispersibility in a nonpolar polymeric matrix. The occurrence of the chemical modifi cation was evaluated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, the degree of crystallinity by X-ray diffraction, and the morphology by scanning electron microscopy with fi eld emission gun (FEG-SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). More >

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