Open Access

EDITORIAL

Alfonso Jiménez, Arantxa Eceiza, José M. Kenny
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.3, pp. 163-164, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634118
Abstract The articles included in this Special Issue of the Journal of Renewable Materials are a selection of those presented at the 5th International Conference on Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers (BIOPOL-2015) that was held in Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain, in October 2015. More >

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1256

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ARTICLE

Nuria Burgos, Arantzazu Valdés, Alfonso Jiménez^*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.3, pp. 165-177, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634108
Abstract In this study we provide an overview of the latest developments on the extraction, production, modification and applications of fruit residues and by-products in the formation of protein-based biopolymers, in particular for the formulation of edible films. Our aim was mainly to demonstrate the highly transdisciplinary character of these topics by giving an overview of the main developments and research topics in the chemistry and engineering aspects of protein-based biopolymers. These innovative raw materials have been evaluated for the production of biomaterials to be used in some key sectors, such as food packaging. More >

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1873

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ARTICLE

Karina Cruz-Aldaco¹, Erika Flores-Loyola², Cristóbal Noé Aguilar-González¹, Nuria Burgos³, Alfonso Jiménez^3*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.3, pp. 178-184, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634107
Abstract The use of vegetable oils to replace fossil feedstock has become an area of opportunity and a priority for study in the field of polymer science. Vegetable oils are considered as renewable resources with high potential, low cost and full availability. The aim of this study is the synthesis of biobased polyols from cottonseed oil (Gossypium barbadanse) and corn oil (Zea mays) as feedstock. Their synthesis was successfully performed, as can be concluded from the determination of their hydroxyl index as well as the structural and thermal characterization carried out in this work. Polyurethanes from More >

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1385

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ARTICLE

F. Luzi, E. Fortunati^*, D. Puglia, R. Petrucci, J.M. Kenny, L. Torre
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.3, pp. 190-198, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2015.634134
Abstract In this research, the revalorization of Posidonia oceanica leaf sea waste was studied and the acid hydrolysis processing times were modulated in order to optimize the extraction of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). The obtained CNCs were deeply investigated. A two-step treatment was applied to extract cellulose nanocrystals from Posidonia oceanica leaves. First, a chemical treatment leads to the removal of lignin and production of holocellulose, while the second chemical process of acid hydrolysis allows the obtainment of cellulose nanocrystals in aqueous suspension. The unbleached and bleached leaves and cellulose nanocrystals were characterized by using thermogravimetric analysis, More >

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1433

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ARTICLE

D. Puglia^1*, F. Dominici¹, M. Badalotti², C. Santulli³, J.M. Kenny¹
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.3, pp. 199-205, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634102
Abstract In this work, cocoa bean shells (CBS), which were ground, then sieved to less than 150 μm and dried in a vacuum oven, have been introduced in a polycaprolactone (PCL) matrix in three different amounts, 10, 20 and 30% wt. The obtained composites were tested under tensile loading, which indicated an enhanced rigidity with a slight decrease of strength with respect to the neat polymer and a reduced elongation, particularly evident for composites with 30 wt% CBS, where final collapse took place for strains only slightly exceeding the yielding point. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicated More >

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1612

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ARTICLE

Mercedes Echegaray¹, Gurutz Mondragon¹, Loli Martin², Alba González³, Cristina Peña-Rodriguez¹, Aitor Arbelaiz^1*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.3, pp. 206-214, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634106
Abstract Organic rodlike cellulose nanocrystals extracted from sisal fibers and inorganic montmorillonite based on silicate layers were employed to develop bionanocomposites based on gelatin matrix. Bionanocomposites with cellulose nanocrystal, montmorillonite and both nanoreinforcements combined were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Tensile properties and oxygen and water vapor gas permeability values were determined to study the influence of the addition of nanoreinforcements, different in nature, to gelatin matrix. Bionanocomposites with montmorillonite improved tensile strength but systems reinforced with nanocellulose showed lower tensile strength than neat gelatin ones. Oxygen gas permeability More >

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1712

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ARTICLE

Arunjunairaj Mahendran^1*, Günter Wuzella¹, Thomas Hardt-Stremayr¹, Wolfgang Gindl-Altmutter²
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.3, pp. 215-224, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634110
Abstract Woven natural fiber-reinforced composites were fabricated using four different flax fabrics and two biobased epoxy resin matrices. The reinforced composites were prepared using resin infusion technique and fiber volume fractions of between 28–35% were achieved using this method. The fiber matrix interaction and the failure mechanism in the composite were observed using scanning electron microscopy. The flexural strength and modulus on the warp and weft directions were characterized and it was found that based on yarn count and yarn thickness change in the flexural strength was observed. Dynamic water absorption and thickness swelling were observed More >

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1394

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ARTICLE

Evelien Uitterhaegen^1,2, Quang Hung Nguyen^1,2, Othmane Merah^1,2, Christian V. Stevens³, Thierry Talou^1,2, Luc Rigal^1,2, Philippe Evon^1,2*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.3, pp. 225-238, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2015.634120
Abstract New fiberboards were manufactured from a coriander cake through thermo-pressing, and the influence of thermo-pressing conditions (temperature, pressure and time) on the boards’ mechanical properties, their thickness swelling and their water absorption was evaluated. Because the protein glass transition systematically occurred during molding, this resulted in effective wetting of the fibers. Consequently, all boards were cohesive, with proteins and fibers acting as binder and reinforcing fillers, respectively. Flexural properties were influenced by all tested conditions, and the optimal board was molded at 200 °C temperature, 36.8 MPa pressure and 180 s time. Its flexural strength More >

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