Influence of the Manufacturing Method (3D Printing and Injection Molding) on Water Absorption and Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Polymer Composites Based on Poly(lactic acid).

The manufacturing method influences the properties of the produced components. This work investigates the influence of manufacturing methods, such as fused deposition modeling (3D printing) and injection molding, on the water absorption and mechanical and thermal properties of the specimens produced from neat bio-based poly(lactic acid) (PLA) polymer and poly(lactic acid)/wood composites. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) acts as the reference material due to its low water absorption and good functional properties.

Ultrafine Friction Grinding of Lignin for Development of Starch Biocomposite Films.

The work demonstrates the utilization of fractionalized lignin from the black liquor of soda pulping for the development of starch-lignin biocomposites. The effect of ultrafine friction grinding on lignin particle size and properties of the biocomposites was investigated. Microscopic analysis and membrane filtration confirmed the reduction of lignin particle sizes down to micro and nanoparticles during the grinding process.

New Solvent and Coagulating Agent for Development of Chitosan Fibers by Wet Spinning.

Adipic acid was evaluated as a novel solvent for wet spinning of chitosan fibers. A solvent with two carboxyl groups could act as a physical crosslinker between the chitosan chains, resulting in improved properties of the fibers. The performance of adipic acid was compared with conventional solvents, i.

Synthesis of Lactic Acid-Based Thermosetting Resins and Their Ageing and Biodegradability.

The present work is focused on the synthesis of bio-based thermoset polymers and their thermo-oxidative ageing and biodegradability. Toward this aim, bio-based thermoset resins with different chemical architectures were synthesized from lactic acid by direct condensation with ethylene glycol, glycerol and pentaerythritol. The resulting branched molecules with chain lengths (n) of three were then end-functionalized with methacrylic anhydride.