Elaboração e avaliação da biodegradabilidade de compósitos à base de poliéster e amido com palha de milho

• Autor(a) principal: Fernandes, Teresa Maria Dias
• Data de Publicação: 2013
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações da UERJ
• Texto Completo: http://www.bdtd.uerj.br/handle/1/15754
• topic: Polymeric composites; biodegradability; corn husks; ECOBRAS; Compósitos poliméricos; biodegradabilidade; palha de milho; ECOBRAS; CNPQ::CIENCIAS EXATAS E DA TERRA::QUIMICA

The use of polymers and biodegradable composites is presented as a solution for the problem created by the discarding of a high amount of plastic residue in the environment. The conventional polymers, besides being non-biodegradable, have a non-renewable source: oil. The biodegradable polymers produced via renewable materials often present as downsides the high cost and not always satisfactory properties. In this context, the polymeric composites can be an alternative, due to the possibility of incorporation of fillers, both of vegetable and mineral origins, to alter properties, making them adequate to the destined use of this material. Other than that, there is the use of low cost fillers, such as agricultural residues, to make them economically viable. In this study, composites of poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) and starch (ECOBRAS ) were elaborated, with corn husks, in different concentrations. Corn husks in natura, being an abundant agricultural residue, were used in order to lower costs and increase the proportion of natural materials utilized, considering ECOBRAS already has starch in its composition. The stress strength tests and DSC, TGA, FTIR, MO e MEV analysis were used to characterize and evaluate the properties of the composites. The polymer matrix and the composites were submitted to biodegradability trials through burying in simulated soil, according to the ASTM G 160-03 norm, for periods varying between 2 and 15 weeks. After each trial period, the mass loss and morphology of each test subject were determined, and analysis of DSC, TGA and FTIR were made. The composites presented a higher resistance to stress strength tests than the polymer matrix. In the biodegradability trial, all composites were considered biodegradable, although the addition of corn husks increased the deterioration time