Desenvolvimento de compósitos expandidos de poli(etileno-co-acetato de vinila) - eva reforçados com pó de madeira e com fibra de bananeira

Abstract

Expanded composites or vegetable fiber-reinforced cell composites are a new emerging class of materials combining good mechanical properties of reduced density, having superior ability of energy absorption at impact, as well as thermal and acoustic isolation. Expanded composites are basically constituted of three phases, the polymeric matrix, the reinforcing agent and the void spaces in the interior of the composite, called cells. In this context, the present study aims at the development of expanded poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) composites reinforced with two kinds of vegetable fibers, banana fiber (BF) and wood flour (WF) at different concentrations and particle sizes. Initially the influence of sodium hydroxide-based (NaOH) alkaline treatment at different concentrations was evaluated as regards thermal (TGA), chemical (FTIR), physical and morphological (SEM) properties of BF as well as mechanical properties (tear and tensile) of the composites obtained from treated BF. For the production of the expanded composites initially the compatibilizing agent maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (PEgMA) was inserted into the EVA matrix with the aid of a single screw extruder. The BF and WF fibers were incorporated into EVA/PEgMA using an open roll mill and the composite was shaped and expanded using a thermal press having variable volume dies. The expanded composites were evaluated as for physical (density, water absorption), mechanical (tear strength and hardness), thermal (TGA), chemical (FTIR) and morphological (SEM) properties. The results demonstrated that the expanded composites attained between 70 and 30% reduction in density according to the die utilized in the expansion process. The use of both fibers affect the morphological structure of cells in the composites, promoting the formation of heterogeneous structures made up of open and closed cells. Vegetable fibers work as nucleating agents in the formation of cells, providing size reduction and increased density of the cells as a result of the increased filler content. Mechanical properties of tear strength tend to diminish with reduced density and increased filler content, while mechanical properties of compression strength and hardness increase with increased filler content. In the polymer-fiber interface all composites exhibit some regions of good adhesion and other ones of poor adhesion between the matrix and the vegetable fiber.