Open Access

EDITORIAL

Mirta Inés Aranguren, Arantxa Eceiza
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.4, pp. 239-239, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634125
Abstract There is an increasing awareness among the general public of the importance of the intelligent use of earth’s biological resources for the production of chemicals, materials and precursors, resulting in an economy that is turning towards considering the valuable contributions offered by these resources. To face the present challenges of reducing the use of nonrenewable resources and the negative impact of polymer pollution on the environment, the world’s scientists are making their contribution by unraveling biological structures and studying and developing new materials and applications from biomass resources. More >

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ARTICLE

Oscar F. Aguilar Gutierrez, Alejandro D. Rey^*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.4, pp. 241-250, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634119
Abstract Biological plywoods are solid analogues of liquid crystalline phases whose building blocks, including cellulose, collagen and chitin, present multifunctionality, providing in some cases protection, camouflage, self-healing and/or adaptability to the surrounding environment. The 3D ordered structure is the main factor for these fascinating properties, and the assessment of the structure-property relationship will be a powerful tool in terms of future material design and innovation. Cross-section observations lead to characteristic patterns depending on the specific arrangement of the plywood’s building blocks. Twisted plywood architectures, known as the Bouligand structure, lead to the widely observed arced patterns… More >

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ARTICLE

M. L. Lambri^1,2, E. D. Giordano^2,3, P. B. Bozzano⁴, F. G. Bonifacich², J. I. Pérez-Landazábal^5,6, G. I. Zelada², D. Gargicevich², V. Recarte^5,6, O. A. Lambri^{2*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.4, pp. 251-257, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634111
Abstract The denaturation processes of collagen in the temperature range between 450 K and 670 K are revealed through studies performed on cow rib bones by means of mechanical spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry, scanning electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy. The conformational change of the collagen molecules from a triple helix structure to a random coil was found at around 510 K. It was determined that the transformation is developed through the viscous movement of fibrils with an activation energy of (127 ± 8) kJ/mol. The second stage of massive bulk deterioration of the collagen was More >}

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ARTICLE

Juan P. Correa^1,2*, Alejandro Bacigalupe^2,3, Jorge Maggi⁴, Patricia Eisenberg^2,3
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.4, pp. 258-265, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634117
Abstract Poly(lactic acid)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PLA/PBAT)-based nanocomposites were prepared by melt blending of PLA and PBAT with 5 wt% of unmodified (Cloisite Na) and modified (Cloisite 30B) montmorillonites. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed an intercalated structure in both nanocomposites. The extent of the intercalation was higher for nanocomposites based on modified clays (OMMT) with chemical affinity with the polymer matrix. Rheological measurements have shown an increase in viscosity and a better degree of clay dispersion for nanocomposites containing OMMT. Nanocomposites with OMMT showed lower PBAT separated phase particle size and improvements in thermal stability, mechanical properties and water More >

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ARTICLE

Piotr Rojek², Mirta I. Aranguren¹, Aleksander Prociak², Mirna A. Mosiewicki^1*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.4, pp. 266-274, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634113
Abstract Solid biobased polyurethanes (PUs) were prepared from a rapeseed oil-based polyol (ROPO) synthesized by epoxidation reaction followed by oxirane ring-opening with diethylene glycol. The reference material was modified by replacement of the ROPO with glycerol in different proportions and also by addition of commercial microcellulose (MC). The curing process of the reactive mixtures was monitored by rheological measurements and the analysis showed that both MC and glycerol increase the time of crossover between storage and loss modulus (liquid to solid transition in the response at 1 Hz). The completely cured polyurethanes were characterized by physical, More >

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ARTICLE

Facundo I. Altuna¹, Borja Fernández-d’Arlas², M. Angeles Corcuera², Arantxa Eceiza², Mirta I. Aranguren³, Pablo M. Stefani^3*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.4, pp. 275-284, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634120
Abstract Mixtures of biomass-derived polyols were used to synthesize rigid polyurethane (PU) foams. A commercial polymerized methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (pMDI) was used as crosslinker, and distilled water served as foaming agent. The morphology and mechanical properties of foams with different glycerol and water contents were compared in order to evaluate the most suitable formulations. The rigid foams with higher water contents had larger and more anisotropic cells, explaining their lower density. Compressive moduli ranged from about 2.5 MPa to above 20 MPa and collapse stresses from 55 kPa to more than 1 MPa for densities between More >

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ARTICLE

A. Ivdre^1*, G.D. Soto², U. Cabulis¹
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.4, pp. 285-293, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634122
Abstract This study presents the synthesis of novel polyols made from tall oil (TO) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) with different TO/PET molar ratios. Rigid polyurethane foams based on these synthesized polyols were obtained and characterized to evaluate polyols’ suitability for the development of light materials with insulating properties. The effect of TO/PET molar ratios on the physical, morphological and mechanical properties of the obtained foams, as well as their thermal insulation characteristics, were evaluated. Increasing amounts of PET in polyurethane foams resulted in higher compression strength and closed cell content, while water absorption was not affected. More >

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