Effect of clays incorporation on properties of thermoplastic starch/clay composite bio-based polymer blends.

In this study, thermoplastic starch (TPS) biofilms were developed using starch isolated from the seeds of Melicoccus bijugatus (huaya) and reinforced with bentonite clays at concentrations of 1%, 3%, and 5% by weight. Novelty of this research lies in utilizing a non-conventional starch source and enhancing properties of TPS through clay reinforcement. FTIR analysis verified bentonite's nature of clays, while SEM analysis provided insights into morphology and agglomeration behavior.

Using Plantain Rachis Fibers and Mopa-Mopa Resin to Develop a Fully Biobased Composite Material.

A completely biobased composite material was developed using a matrix of natural resin extracted from the Mora plant, commonly known as Mopa-Mopa or "Barniz de Pasto", reinforced with fibers extracted from plantain rachis agricultural residues. A solvent process, involving grinding, distillation, filtration, and drying stages, was implemented to extract the resin from the plant bud. To obtain the resin from the plant bud, the vegetable material was ground and then dissolved in a water-alcohol blend, followed by distillation, filtration, and grinding until the powdered resin was ready for use in the preparation of the biocomposite.

A Novel Starch from Seeds: Characterization of Its Physicochemical, Structural and Thermal Properties.

Colok seed () represents 80% of the total fruit weight and is obtained from trees that grow mainly in Yucatan Peninsula. The aim of this work was the physicochemical characterization from colok starch seeds as an alternative to conventional sources and to identify its characteristics for potential applications in different industrial sectors. Starch yield was 42.

Damage Evolution and Fracture Events Sequence Analysis of Core-Shell Nanoparticle Modified Bone Cements by Acoustic Emission Technique.

In this research, damage in bone cements that were prepared with core-shell nanoparticles was monitored during four-point bending tests through an analysis of acoustic emission (AE) signals. The core-shell structure consisted of poly(butyl acrylate) (PBA) as rubbery core and methyl methacrylate/styrene copolymer (P(MMA--St)) as a glassy shell. Furthermore, different core-shell ratios 20/80, 30/70, 40/60, and 50/50 were prepared and incorporated into the solid phase of the bone cement formulation at 5, 10, and 15 wt %, respectively.

Self-Sensing of Damage Progression in Unidirectional Multiscale Hierarchical Composites Subjected to Cyclic Tensile Loading.

The electrical sensitivity of glass fiber/multiwall carbon nanotube/vinyl ester hierarchical composites containing a tailored electrically-percolated network to self-sense accumulation of structural damage when subjected to cyclic tensile loading-unloading is investigated. The hierarchical composites were designed to contain two architectures differentiated by the location of the multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), viz. MWCNTs deposited on the fibers and MWCNTs dispersed within the matrix.