In this work a study on the feasibility of extracting cellulose from sisal fiber, by means of two different procedures was carried out. These processes included usual chemical procedures such as acid hydrolysis, chlorination, alkaline extraction, and bleaching. The final products were characterized by means of Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM). The extraction procedures that were used led to purified cellulose. Advantages and disadvantages of both procedures were also analyzed. Finally, nanocellulose was produced by the acid hydrolysis of obtained cellulose and characterized by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).

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Potato starch was gelatinized in the presence of water and varying amounts of glycerol at 90°C. Starch/ glycerol films were prepared by casting with water. The addition of glycerol produces a decrease in the crystallinity of the starch in the films. Starch was acetylated (with acetic acid and anhydride) and maleated (with maleic anhydride). Differential scanning calorimetric analysis revealed decrease in the glass transition temperature (T g ) with the chemical modification. The starch modification on the equilibrium moisture content was determined at 25°C. The esterifications produce a decrease in the maximum moisture sorption.

Poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)-based films, reinforced with bacterial cellulose (BC) or cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and plasticized using a molecular (tributyrin) or a polymeric plasticizer (poly(adipate diethylene)), were produced by solvent casting. Their morphological, thermal, wettability, and chemical properties were investigated. Furthermore, the effect of adding both plasticizers (20 wt % respect to the PHB content) and biobased selected nanofillers added at different contents (2 and 4 wt %) on disintegrability in composting conditions was studied. Results of contact angle measurements and calorimetric analysis validated the observed behavior during composting experiments, indicating how CNC aggregation, due to the hydrophilic nature of the filler, slows down the degradation rate but accelerates it in case of increasing content. In contrast, nanocomposites with BC presented an evolution in composting similar to neat PHB, possibly due to the lower hydrophilic character of this material. The addition of the two plasticizers contributed to a better dispersion of the nanoparticles by increasing the interaction between the cellulosic reinforcements and the matrix, whereas the increased crystallinity of the incubated samples in a second stage in composting provoked a reduction in the disintegration rate.

A novel biocomposites double-layer films using polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and cellulose paper were produced. The biocomposites were prepared by the solvent-casting method (with chloroform). Films of the blends were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron micrograph (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray (XR) and surface roughness measurements. Moisture absorption, water absorption and water vapor permeation of films has been investigated. The PHB impregnated the fibers of cellulose paper and it was on the valley of paper structure. The double-layer films showed diminutions in the moisture absorption, in the water abortion, in water vapor permeation and in surface roughness. According to contact angle, surface free energies and the barrier properties of the films can be considered more hydrophobic. The experimentally observed tensile properties (modulus and tensile strength) of double-layer films with different content of PHB were determined. Measurements show the tensile strength and modulus of cellulose paper increases with the percentage of PHB. SEM photomicrographs of the fractured films surfaces were also analyzed. It was possible to obtain a biodegradable material with little amount of PHB to improve the barrier and the mechanical properties of cellulose paper, taking advantage of the good properties of both materials.

Mechanical properties and thermal stability of epoxy foams filled with white and black rice husk ash were studied. Epoxy foams were prepared from a commercial system and filled with different amounts of both the ashes (0, 6.8, 12.8, 18.0, and 22.7 wt %). The incorporation of both the ashes modified the final morphology of the foam, decreasing the average cell size and increasing the number of cells per volume unit. For all filler percentages used, the specific modulus and strength results showed that the white ash is more effective as reinforcing agent than the black ash.The initial degradation temperature was not affected by the content and type of ash used as the filler. The integral procedure decomposition temperature, weight loss, and char residue results were related to the ash type and atmosphere used in the thermogravimetric analysis.

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)-based bionanocomposites were prepared using various percentages of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) by a solution casting method. CNCs were prepared from microcrystalline cellulose using sulfuric acid hydrolysis. The influence of CNCs on PHB properties was evaluated using differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry and tensile testing. Vapor permeation and light transmission of the materials were also measured. Differential scanning calorimetric tests demonstrated that CNCs were effective PHB nucleation agents. Tensile strength and Young's modulus of PHB increased with increasing CNC concentration. Moreover, the PHB/CNC bionanocomposites exhibited reduced water vapor permeation compared to neat PHB and had better UV barrier properties than commodity polymers such as polypropylene. It was found that nanocomposites with 6 wt% of CNCs had the optimum balance among thermal, mechanical and barrier properties.