caa a22 4500 445384832 CHVBK 20180317143029.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170323e20110901xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s10924-011-0318-0 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s10924-011-0318-0 Wu Chin-San Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Kao Yuan University, 82101, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan, ROC aut Process, Characterization and Biodegradability of Aliphatic Aromatic Polyester/Sisal Fiber Composites [Elektronische Daten] [Chin-San Wu] The biodegradability, morphology, and mechanical properties of composite materials made of Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) and sisal fiber (SF) were evaluated. Composites containing acrylic acid-grafted PBAT (PBAT-g-AA/SF) exhibited noticeably superior mechanical properties due to greater compatibility between the two components. The dispersion of SF in the PBAT-g-AA matrix was highly homogeneous as a result of ester formation between the carboxyl groups of PBAT-g-AA and hydroxyl groups in SF and the consequent creation of branched and cross-linked macromolecules. Each composite was subjected to biodegradation tests in Rhizopus oryzae compost. Morphological observations indicated severe disruption of film structure after 60days of incubation, and both the PBAT and the PBAT-g-AA/SF composite films were eventually completely degraded. Water resistance of PBAT-g-AA/SF was higher than that of PBAT/SF, although weight loss of composites buried in Rhizopus oryzae compost indicated that both were biodegradable, even at high levels of SF substitution. The PBAT-g-AA/SF films were more biodegradable than those made of PBAT, implying a strong connection between these characteristics and biodegradability. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 2011 Biodegradable nationallicence Polyesters nationallicence Sisal fiber nationallicence Composites nationallicence Journal of Polymers and the Environment Springer US; http://www.springer-ny.com 19/3(2011-09-01), 706-713 1566-2543 19:3<706 2011 19 10924 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-011-0318-0 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-011-0318-0 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 100 1- Wu Chin-San Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Kao Yuan University, 82101, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan, ROC aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Journal of Polymers and the Environment Springer US; http://www.springer-ny.com 19/3(2011-09-01), 706-713 1566-2543 19:3<706 2011 19 10924 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer