Fabrication and Characterization of Gelatin Fiber-based Linear Low-density Polyethylene Foamed Composite

Abstract

A composite based on gelatin fiber-reinforced linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) matrix was fabricated using compression molding. Two layers of gelatin fibers were sandwiched with three layers of LLDPE sheets. Gelatin fiber was prepared from 20% gelatin-based aqueous solution by extrusion method. Composites with varying percentages of gelatin fiber (1-10%) were made. The mechanical properties such as tensile strength (TS), bending strength (BS), elongation at break (Eb), tensile modulus (TM), bending modulus (BM,) and hardness were taken. TS, TM, Eb (%), TM, BM, and hardness of the composite (10% fiber) were found to be 1.67 MPa, 1.14 MPa, 96%, 25.8 MPa, 507.6 MPa, and 92 shore A, respectively. The density of the composite with 10% gelatin fiber was found to be 0.66 g/cm³, which was less than the density of gelatin (1.58 g/cm³) and LLDPE (0.905 g/cm³). The water uptake capacity of the composite with 10% gelatin fiber was found to be 16.65% after 60 min.

Keywords

gelatin fiber LLDPE composite mechanical properties foamed composite.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Mohanty, A.K. , Misra, M. and Hinriohsen, G. (2000). Biofibers, Biodegradable Polymers and Biocomposites: An Overview, Macromolecular Materials and Engineering, 276/277: 1-24.

Mishra, S. , Mohanty, A.K. , Drzal, M. , Parija, S. , Nayak, S.K. and Tripathy, S.S. ( 2003). Studies on Mechanical Performance of Biofibre/Glass Reinforced Polyester Hybrid Composites, Composites Science and Technology , 63: 1377-1385.

Khan, M.A. and Hasan, M.M. ( 1996). Surface Modification of Natural Fibers by Photo-grafting and Photocuring, In: Mital, K. L. (ed.), Polymer Surface Modification: Relevance to Adhesion, Vol. 3: pp. 263-283, VSP Publications, The Netherlands.

Khan, M.A. , Hassan, M.M. and Drazal, L.T. ( 2005). Effect of 2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate (HEMA) on the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Jute/Polycarbonate Composites, Composites: Part A, 36: 71-81.

Khan, M.A. , Kopp, C. and Hinrichsen, G. ( 2001). Effect of Vinyl and Silicon Monomers on Mechanical and Degradation Properties of Biodegradable Jute-Biopol® Composite, Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites, 20(16): 1414-1429.

Kozlov, P.V. and Burdygina, G.I. ( 1983). The Structure and Properties of Solid Gelatin and the Principles of their Modification, Polymer, 24: 651-666.

Gul-E-Noor, F. , Khan, M.A. , Ghoshal, S. , Mazid, R.A. , Chowdhury, S.A.M. and Khan, R.A. ( 2009). Grafting of 2-Ethylhexyl Acrylate with Urea onto Gelatin Film by Gamma Radiation, Journal of Macromolecular Science, Part A: Pure and Applied Chemistry, 46: 615-624.

United States Pharmacopeial Convention, Inc. ( 1985). National Formulary XVI, pp. 1563-1564, Rockville, Maryland.

Clark, A.H. and Ross-Murphy, S.D. ( 1987). Structural and Mechanical Properties of Biopolymer Gels , Advances in Polymer Science , 83: 57.

10.

Khan, M.A. , Khan, R.A. , Noor, F.G. , Rahman, M.M. and Noor-A-Alam, M. ( 2009). Studies on the Mechanical Properties of Gelatin and its Blends with Vinyltrimethoxysilane: Effect of Gamma Radiation, Polymer-plastics Technology and Engineering, 48: 1-6.

11.

Zaman, H.U. , Khan, A.H. , Hossain, M.A. , Khan, M.A. and Khan, R.A. ( 2009). Mechanical and Electrical Properties of Jute Fabrics Reinforced Polyethylene/Polypropylene Composites: Role of Gamma Radiation , Polymer-plastics Technology and Engineering, 48: 760-766.

12.

Czvikovszky, T. (1995). Reactive Recycling of Multiphase Polymer System, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms , 105: 233-237.