Abstract This work focuses on the potential use of cellulose fibers extracted from Mediterranean saltbush (Atriplex halimus) as a filler in the polymeric matrix. The fully biodegradable composites were prepared from polylactic acid (PLA) as matrix and microcellulose fibers ranging from 0 to 15 wt.%. The influence of the fiber content on the structure, mechanical, thermal, and water absorption properties was evaluated. Mechanical results indicated that fibers acted effectively as reinforcement, increasing the tensile strength and the Young’s modulus of PLA by 25 and 45%, respectively. This is due to the good stress transfer between fibers and matrix through the strong interactions that have been evidenced by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The thermogravimetric analysis showed that PLA composites have a slightly lower degradation temperature than the pure PLA, but they still have favorable thermal stability. Water absorption measurements and biodegradability tests showed that the addition of fibers accelerates degradation kinetics and confirm that the prepared composites are an environmentally safe material suited for different applications.

中文翻译：

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基于 Atriplex halimus 纤维和 PLA 基体的绿色复合材料

摘要 这项工作的重点是从地中海盐树（Atriplex halimus）中提取的纤维素纤维作为聚合物基质中的填料的潜在用途。完全可生物降解的复合材料是由聚乳酸 (PLA) 作为基质和微纤维素纤维制备的，范围为 0 至 15 wt.%。评估了纤维含量对结构、机械、热和吸水性能的影响。力学结果表明，纤维起到了有效的增强作用，将 PLA 的拉伸强度和杨氏模量分别提高了 25% 和 45%。这是由于纤维和基质之间通过傅立叶变换红外 (FTIR) 光谱证明的强相互作用实现了良好的应力传递。热重分析表明，PLA 复合材料的降解温度比纯 PLA 略低，但仍具有良好的热稳定性。吸水率测量和生物降解性测试表明，添加纤维会加速降解动力学，并证实所制备的复合材料是一种适用于不同应用的环境安全材料。