Influence of addition of vapor grown carbon fibers on mechanical, thermal and biodegradation properties of lignin nanoparticle filled bio-poly(trimethylene terephthalate) hybrid nanocomposites

Abstract

Bio-poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (bio-PTT) hybrid nanocomposites constituting 1.5 wt% of lignin nanoparticles (LNP) and variable wt% of vapor-grown carbon fibers (VGCF) were prepared using melt extrusion followed by a microinjection molding technique. Mechanical results revealed an improvement in tensile flexural and impact properties of bio-PTT with 1.5 wt% LNP and bio-PTT hybrid nanocomposites with the incorporation of 7 wt% of VGCF, respectively. The thermal properties of the hybrid nanocomposites have been investigated using HDT, and TGA. FTIR analysis confirmed the formation of hydrogen bonds between the aliphatic –OH groups of LNP and the carbonyl group of the bio-PTT matrix. The water resistance of the bio-PTT/LNP/VGCF hybrid nanocomposites was higher than that of bio-PTT/LNP nanocomposites as well as the bio-PTT matrix. In addition, the morphological changes in the hybrid nanocomposites were also monitored through scanning electron microscopy (SEM).