title: Bio-composites of cassava starch-green coconut fiber: part II-Structure and properties.
abstract: Development of any new material requires its complete characterization to find potential applications. In that direction, preparation of bio-composites of cassava starch containing up to 30 wt.% green coconut fibers from Brazil by thermal molding process was reported earlier. Their characterization regarding physical and tensile properties of both untreated and treated matrices and their composites were also reported. Structural studies through FTIR and XRD and thermal stability of the above mentioned composites are presented in this paper. FT-IR studies revealed decomposition of components in the matrix; the starch was neither chemically affected nor modified by either glycerol or the amount of fiber. XRD studies indicated increasing crystallinity of the composites with increasing amount of fiber content. Thermal studies through TGA/DTA showed improvement of thermal stability with increasing amount of fiber incorporation, while DMTA showed increasing storage modulus, higher glass transition temperature and lower damping with increasing fiber content. Improved interfacial bonding between the matrix and fibers could be the cause for the above results.
authors: Center of Forest Sciences and Wood, Federal University of Paraná, Av. Pref. Lothário Meissner, 900, Jardim Botanico, CEP: 80210-170 Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: lupita12lom@gmail.com.
authors: María Guadalupe
authors: MG
authors: Lomelí-Ramírez
authors: Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Paraná, Central Polytechnic, Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: gundsat42@hotmail.com.
authors: Satyanarayana G
authors: SG
authors: Kestur
authors: Department of Wood, Cellulose and Paper, University of Guadalajara, Km 15.5 Carretera Guadalajara-Nogales, Las Agujas, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. Electronic address: rmanri@dmcyp.cucei.udg.mx.
authors: Ricardo
authors: R
authors: Manríquez-González
authors: Center of Forest Sciences and Wood, Federal University of Paraná, Av. Pref. Lothário Meissner, 900, Jardim Botanico, CEP: 80210-170 Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: setsuo@ufpr.br.
authors: Setsuo
authors: S
authors: Iwakiri
authors: Center of Forest Sciences and Wood, Federal University of Paraná, Av. Pref. Lothário Meissner, 900, Jardim Botanico, CEP: 80210-170 Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: graciela.ufpr@gmail.com.
authors: Graciela Bolzon
authors: GB
authors: de Muniz
authors: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Parana, P.O. Box. 19011, CEP: 81531-990 Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: tsydenstricker@gmail.com.
authors: Thais Sydenstricker
authors: TS
authors: Flores-Sahagun
mesh_terms: D003059:Cocos / Q000737:chemistry*; D002365:Manihot / Q000737:chemistry*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013818:Thermogravimetry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
keywords: Bio-composites; Cassava starch; Green coconut fibers; Thermal properties; Thermoplastic starch