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This study compares the structural and morphological changes in Guadua angustifolia Kunth (GAK) fiber prepared in three different ways (chips, barkless and crushed) when non-conventional alkaline treatment is applied. Moreover, it shows the improvement of mechanical properties of cement composites reinforced with these treated fibers. The three different preparations of Guadua were treated with a saturated solution of calcium hydroxide (5%) at 125 °C and 1.25 kPa for 3 h to remove non-cellulosic compounds. Then, their chemical, morphological, and structural properties were examined. The fibers exhibiting the higher delignification rate were selected to prepare cement composite boards, whose mechanical properties were successively compared with those of composites reinforced with untreated G. angustifolia fibers. The water/cement ratios of the cement mixed with the Ca(OH)2-treated and the untreated fibers were, respectively, around 0.3 and 0.25. The flexural strength and toughness of the two composites were evaluated after 7, 28, and 90 days of curing. The calcium hydroxide treatment showed higher efficiency in removing non-cellulosic materials when performed on crushed bamboo; moreover, the mechanical properties of the composites reinforced with the treated fibers were higher than those mixed with the untreated ones. After 90 days of curing, the flexural strength increased by around 40% and the toughness became three times higher (p < 0.05). The mechanical improvement by the Ca(OH)2 treatment of G. angustifolia fibers demonstrates its potential for the fabrication of cement composites.

This research reports the influence of polar monomer contents in ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) on the morphology, mechanical and barrier properties of polypropylene/ethylene copolymer (PP) reinforced with organically modified montmorillonite (MMT). PP/EVA and PP/EVOH (75/25 wt %) blends were reinforced with 3 wt % MMT in an internal mixer system. Samples were compression-molded into films of 300μ μm. The structural characterization was made using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the mechanical properties were obtained by tension tests and the barrier properties by oxygen transmission rate (OTR). XRD patterns showed a combination of intercalated/exfoliated morphologies for the MMT, with higher d-001 interplanar distance increments for the blends with higher content of polar functional groups. SEM and TEM micrographs complement the results of the XRD analysis and show differences in the morphologies depending on the miscibility of the polyolefin and the polar monomer copolymer. Mechanical properties and oxygen permeability of composites exhibited a higher improvement, by the addition of MMT, for higher intermolecular interactions and most miscible polymeric system of the EVA. These results show that the higher the number of interactions, given by the VA or OH polar functional groups, the morphology and the miscibility between polyolefin and copolymer imply dispersion improvements of the nanocomposites and, in consequence, a higher improvement on the mechanical and barrier properties of the composite material.

Purging is a fundamental process in the injection molding sector, aiding in color transition, material shifts, and the removal of contaminants. The purging compounds can be classified according to physical or chemical mechanisms and are affected by processing parameters, such as temperature, pressure, or soaking period. Despite some studies on the effect of processing parameters in purging action, an analysis of the rheological behavior and physico-chemical changes is still required for a deeper understanding of this type of system. This study explored shear viscosity, activation energy behavior in the torque rheometer, injection molding process, and energy consumption for two polyolefin-based purging compounds: one on polypropylene (PP) and another on polyethylene (PE). The results showed that the PP-based compound is a highly viscous material with low thermal sensibility and low energy consumption. The PE-based chemical compound, which includes an expanding and scrubbing agent, presented higher thermal sensitivity. Lower purging times and specific energy consumption were observed for the mechanical purge regardless of the processing temperature in the injection molding machine. However, torque and specific total mechanical energy differed due to viscosity and possible filler particle agglomeration. These findings demonstrated the influence of processing temperature on rheology and performance. Nonetheless, further studies regarding pressure, soaking time, and rheological modeling are recommended.

Nowadays, construction industry has ventured with eco-friendly materials. Into these new options there exists a set of materials known as cement composites whose reinforcement could be made with natural fibers. A fast-growth plant native from Colombia known as Guadua, a kind of Bamboo, has environmental and mechanical advantages over conventional construction materials. The use of a Bamboo as whole is important, but the use of their fibers has gained importance due to their potential to use as reinforcement into cement composite. This paper presents a study about characteristics of the fiber distribution into two Guadua´s varieties: Guadua Angustifolia Kunth Rayada Amarilla and Guadua Angustifolia Kunth Macana. They were examined under scanning electronic microscopy, Xray diffraction and the Association Official Agricultural Chemist -2000 methodology to get quantitative information about the insoluble fiber content. Findings indicated that the insoluble fiber distribution is not homogenous between the internal and external layer of bamboo culm; the fiber content inside of Guadua culms increases from inner to outer layer. X-ray patterns showed that the insoluble fiber has a preferential crystalline orientation in relation to the growth direction of bam boo. The combination of scanning electronic microscope and X-ray diffraction offers important information about the localization and morphologic distribution of components inside bamboo culms.