Development of PLA-Waste Paper Biocomposites with High Cellulose Content.

In this study, the integration of paper industry waste with high cellulose content into biocomposites of polylactic acid (PLA), a widely used biobased polymer material, was investigated. The PLA/waste biocomposite samples (0-25 wt.%) were manufactured using the extrusion and injection moulding techniques.

Characterization of Cellulosic Pulps Isolated from Two Widespread Agricultural Wastes: Cotton and Sunflower Stalks.

Globally, huge amounts of cotton and sunflower stalks are generated annually. These wastes are being underutilized since they are mostly burned in the fields. So, in this work, we proposed a three-step method consisting of acid pre-treatment, alkaline hydrolysis, and bleaching for the extraction of cellulose pulps.

Obtaining Cellulose Nanocrystals from Olive Tree Pruning Waste and Evaluation of Their Influence as a Reinforcement on Biocomposites.

The objective of this work is to improve the mechanical properties of polylactic acid (PLA) by incorporating cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) previously obtained from a cellulose pulp extracted from olive tree pruning (OTP) waste. Composites were manufactured by melt processing and injection moulding to evaluate the effect of the introduction of CNC with conventional manufacturing methods. This OTP-cellulose pulp was subjected to a further purification process by bleaching, thus bringing the cellulose content up to 86.

Effect of Olive Pit Reinforcement in Polylactic Acid Biocomposites on Environmental Degradation.

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biomaterial widely used as an alternative to petroleum-based polymeric matrices in plastic components. PLA-based biocomposites reinforced with lignocellulosic waste are currently receiving special attention owing to their mechanical properties, low toxicity, recyclability, and biodegradability. The influence of the percentage of waste on their properties and resistance to degradation are some of the points of great relevance.

Manufacture and Characterization of Recycled Polypropylene and Olive Pits Biocomposites.

The present work studies the use of olive pit (OP) as a reinforcement in the manufacture of composites based on a post-consumer recycled polypropylene (rPP). In this way, it is feasible to provide added value from olive pits, a by-product resulting from the olive industry operations, while promoting the circular economy and reducing the use of fossil-based polymers. For this purpose, suitable samples were manufactured using 25 wt% and 40 wt% of OP.