Journal of Bioprocessing & Biotechniques

Effect of Processing Conditions on Tensile Properties of Green Composites of Castor Oil Cake Starch-Plant Fibers

Abstract

José Luis Guimarães, Ana Cristina Trindade Cursino, Cyro Ketzer Saul, Maria Rita Sierrakowski, Luiz Pereira Ramos, Fernando Wypych and Kestur Gundappa Satyanarayana

The authors have characterized castor oil cake (COS) and ‘crude’ glycerin (CG) and carried out preliminary studies to assess their composites containing plant fibers prepared under manual conditions. Based on the results obtained in the study, efforts were made to prepare similar ‘green’ composites under controlled conditions. This paper presents preparation and characterization of composites using COS and CG as matrix with banana and sugarcane bagasse fibers under controlled temperature and pressure. While stress-strain curves of the matrix material were found to be typical of thermoplastics, those of composites showed a smaller plastic region. Young's modulus, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and strain at break obtained were found to be different from those reported earlier that were obtained by manual method. The values of these properties for matrix were found to be lower than those reported earlier for similar matrix. However, the values for the above properties in the composites (prepared with this matrix) were found to be higher than those obtained under manual conditions. These results are explained by the fractographic studies, which revealed good fiber/ matrix adhesion.