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Alfa Fibers (alfa + fiber)
Selected AbstractsInjection molded composites of short Alfa fibers and biodegradable blendsPOLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 4 2006I. Ammar Fully biodegradable composites made from two polymer blend matrices (SEVA-C: starch and a copolymer of ethylene vinyl alcohol; and SCA: starch and cellulose acetate) and short Alfa fibers were developed and processed by conventional injection molding into standard tensile specimens. For each kind of matrix, the influence of the reinforcement load was evaluated, using fiber amounts from 0 to 30% (wt/wt). An optimization study was carried out for the composite SEVA-C with 10% Alfa fiber. The obtained results establish that the produced biodegradable composites present a significant improvement in stiffness for both matrices. Improvements in the tensile strength were observed only for the Alfa fiber reinforced SEVA-C. However, for both matrices, the reinforcement causes a significant loss in the material ductility. Results from design of experiments (Hadamard plans) were used to explain the influence of the injection molding conditions on the mechanical behavior of the obtained composites, mainly on the stiffness values. POLYM. COMPOS., 27:341,348, 2006. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers [source] Biocomposites based on Alfa fibers and starch-based biopolymerPOLYMERS FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, Issue 12 2009R. Belhassen Abstract Biocomposite materials based on Alfa cellulose fibers (esparto grass plant) as reinforcing element and starch-based biopolymer matrix were prepared and characterized in terms of mechanical performance, thermal properties, and water absorbance behavior. The fibers and the matrix were first mixed in the melted state under mechanical shearing using a plastograph and the obtained composites were molded by injection process. The tensile mechanical analysis showed a linear increase of the composite flexural and tensile modulus upon increasing the fiber content, together with a sharp decrease of the elongation at break. The fibers, incorporation into the biopolymer matrix brings about an enhancement in the mechanical strength and the impact strength of the composite. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) investigation showed two relaxations occurring at about ,30 and 35°C. The addition of Alfa fibers enhanced the storage modulus E, before and after T,, which is consistent with the reinforcing effect of Alfa cellulose fibers. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Wettability investigations on the cellulosic surface of alfa fibersJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 6 2008N. Bohli Abstract A wettability study was performed on samples of alfa fibers with the Wilhelmy plate technique. The set of test liquids employed in the measurement of the contact angles was composed of water, heptane, diiodomethane, ,-bromonaphthalene, and formamide. During their first immersion in high-surface-energy test liquids, the alfa fibers showed anisotropic behavior: they had an advancing contact angle of 67 ± 6° in one orientation of immersion and an angle of 112 ± 9.5° in the opposite one. Optical microscopy revealed the existence of fibrils on the alfa-fiber surface. They kept almost the same orientation and were responsible for the interesting hydrophobic/hydrophilic behavior of the fibers. Contact angle measurements and investigations of the hysteresis were also performed. The various results were examined according to the heterogeneities of the fibers. The surface energy of the alfa fibers was determined with three theoretical models: the geometric model, the Good,Van Oss,Chaudhury model, and the Chang model. A comparative study of these models was undertaken. The study of the wetting properties of alfa fibers will provide essential information for optimized composites and so will help us in choosing the right chemical treatment necessary to enhance adhesion in alfa-fiber-based composites. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008 [source] | ||||||||||