Development of plasticized starch biocomposites blended inan original mixer (RMX) based on elongational flows
M. Ragoubi, C. Terrié, N. Leblanc,
Unité de recherche AGRI’TERR – Institut polytechnique Lasalle Beauvais-ESITPA
3 rue du Tronquet, 76 134 Mont Saint Aignan Cedex, France,
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Abstract:
This study is focuses on the thermo mechanical and rheological behaviour of starch biocomposites formulated by ElongationalMiXer and Reactor (RMX). Compared to existing laboratory mixers, RMX device process is characterized by a high contribution of elongational flow and the ability to directly measure the rheological properties of blends. The idea is to promote the elongational flow during mixing of different components and increase the dispersive mixing efficiency.
Using RMX, various formulations based on plasticized starch matrix (TPS) have been carried out by varying plasticizer amount, flax fibres content and flax fibers length. After RMX-thermocompression moulding,the impact of process parameters (temperature, speed screw, mixing cycle number) on the viscosity of plasticized starch blends are investigated. Furthermore, morphological and microscopic data on TPS/flax blends prove the high distributive and dispersive mixing efficiency as compared to a classical rotational batch mixer. The evolution of microstructuralproperties of the starch based biocomposites are also analyzed by X-ray diffraction (DRX), thermo mechanical (DMA) and thermal degradation (TGA) analysis.
Key words: Biopolymer, lignocellulosic fibers, Extrusion, Starch, rheological and microstructural properties.
Biography:
Mohamed Ragoubi is a young researcher. He received his Engineering degree in Matréials and industrial process from ENIM in Monastir, Tunisia, in 2006, his Master degree in mechanics and materials science from ENSISA in France in 2007 and his Ph. D. in polymers and composite materials from the Université de Lorraine in France in 2010. Then, he worked as a post-doctoral fellow from 2011to 2013 at the Université de Lorraine and from 2013 to 2015 at CTT Group (Geosynthetics and Building Materials division) in Montreal (Canada). Now, he joined the polytechnique Institute Lasalle-Esitpa (Rouen-France) as a researcher.
His activities include the development of composites, nanocomposites and multilayer materials, the characterization of their mechanical, thermal and microstructural behavior, the valorisation of natural fibres and the modification of their surface properties by Plasma treatment.