A biocomposite manufactured from peroxide/silane crosslinked poly(lactic acid) reinforced with hybridized empty fruit bunch (EFB) oil palm and cotton fibers was investigated. Optimization of dicumyl peroxide (DCP) and the vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) crosslink system by using the 2 k factorial design of experiment (DOE), with k = 2 was preliminary employed. There was no significant effect of the designed parameters, DCP(A) and VTMS(B), on the properties of the biocomposite. Concerning the environmental and economical aspects, the DPC and VTMS ratio was important. A crosslink agent content from 0.5 phr of DCP with 1 phr to 2 phr VTMS was recommended to manufacture a biocomposite with high heat distortion temperature (HDT) at above 100 °C and reasonable flow and mechanical properties. Also, the direct addition of the DCP/VTMS crosslink agent onto the PLA/rubber compound mixture and fed into a twin screw extruder for producing crosslinked PLA/EFB/cotton hybrid biocomposites were the optimized mixing methods. Shorter process line/time, ease of process steps, and reasonable engineering properties were justified. A HDT above 100 °C with a better toughness property of the biocomposite material was obtained. The PLA/PLA and PLA/ENR crosslinks via silane/moisture condensation during the sauna incubation was the prime explanation.
The manufacture of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) composites reinforced with both oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) and cotton fiber was investigated. The positive and significant effect of EFB on the heat distortion temperature (HDT) and flexural properties was determined by a 2 k design of experiment study. Adding solid epoxy into the PLA matrix manifested inferior mechanical properties with no improvement to the HDT. The HDT and mechanical properties of the biocomposites were further improved by using an EFB/cotton hybridized system. The PLA/hybridized EFB/cotton biocomposites showed biodegradability and an HDT higher than 100 °C. However, the flowability of the material was retarded at high cotton fractions. Finally, adding talc filler into the biocomposites improved the flowability of the hybridized biocomposite systems, especially at low fiber and high talc contents. Nevertheless, inferior mechanical properties of the biocomposites were found for high talc and low fibers' contents.
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