Potential for using oiticica fruit residue in the development of thermoplastic matrix composites

ABSTRACT

In recent years the concern of environmentalists has been growing due to the large use of products that have non-renewable fossil sources as raw material. An alternative adopted by the researchers is the production of thermoplastic matrix composites with lignocellulosic waste fibers. The oticica or oiti is a fruit rich in oil and is widely used for soap production. The co-product generated from this process is rich in fiber, oil and impurities and is currently widely used for animal feed and soil fertilizer. The objective of the present work is the production and evaluation of the properties of HDPE composites with Oiticica waste. As matrix was used a green HDPE supplied by Braskem and the dispersed phase was the pie de oiticica supplied by a soap factory. Compositions with 5, 10 and 20% of waste de oiticica were processed by double screw extrusion and the specimens made by the injection process. The composites were characterized by uniaxial tensile test to evaluate mechanical properties (deformation to rupture, modulus, and stress at maximum force). The interaction between pie and matrix was analyzed through the fracture surface using scanning electron microscopy and the analysis. Thermal analysis was assessed by DSC. The results showed decrease in the deformation for 10 and 20% waste compositions. There was a gradual decrease at the stress at the maximum strength of the composites when compared to HDPE. The micrographs showed little interaction between fiber and matrix and the presence of voids. Thermal analysis showed a decrease in the degree of crystallinity, concluding that the presence of the oiticica may have made it difficult to organize the chains, generating a greater number of amorphous regions.

Keywords:
Composites; Waste; Lignocellulosic; HDPE; Oiticica