Publications by authors named "Ana Ibanez-Garcia"
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how adding bagasse fibres from beer production affects the mechanical, thermal, and flow properties of three plastics: BioPE, PLA, and PP, aiming to create eco-friendly biocomposites for injection molding.
- Bagasse fibres were added in varying amounts (10%, 20%, and 30%) to the polymers and then tested for properties like strength, impact resistance, and hardness, using methods like tensile tests and scanning electron microscopy for detailed analysis.
- The results showed that higher bagasse content increased rigidity in BioPE and PP, but reduced flexibility and impact resistance, while PLA composites became more ductile with added bagasse, highlighting the varying effects of compatibilization in different formulations.*
This article is focused on the development and characterization of a series of biodegradable and eco-friendly colour masterbatches (MBs), based on natural pigments and biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene succinate (PBS). Four commercial natural pigments were used, spirulina, curcumin, beetroot and chlorophyllin, to develop the colour masterbatches using a twin-screw extruder. The natural pigment-based MBs were added at 2, 4 and 6 wt%, as additives to study the effect on the properties of injected biodegradable parts (PLA and PBS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, binary blends of biodegradable polymers were prepared to improve the ductile properties of those that have a more rigid and/or brittle behaviour. Specifically, PLA, PHA and TPS were blended with different amounts of PBS with the objective of reducing the stiffness and brittleness of the three polymers. The compatibility of the blends and their resulting mechanical properties were studied.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis article is focused on studying the effect of the reprocessing cycles on the mechanical, thermal, and aesthetic properties of a biocomposite. This process is based on starch thermoplastic polymer (TPS) filled with 20 wt% almond shell powder (ASP) and epoxidized linseed oil (ELO) as a compatibilizing additive. To do so, the biocomposite was prepared in a twin-screw extruder, molded by injection, and characterized in terms of its mechanical, thermal, and visual properties (according to CieLab) and the melt flow index (MFI).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The article discusses the creation of biodegradable biocomposites made from starch polymer (Mater-Bi DI01A) and 30 wt% almond shell from various almond varieties to investigate how the type of almond affects the material properties.
- Various analytical methods, including FT-IR, TGA, SEM, and XRD, are employed to assess the differences among almond shell varieties, while mechanical and thermal tests such as tensile and flexural tests are conducted on the biocomposites.
- The findings reveal that although there are chemical composition differences among almond varieties, their mechanical properties are similar; thus, using a commercial mixture of almond shells is recommended for its cost-effectiveness and ease of acquisition.