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Thermal Stabilization of Wood/Polypropylene Composites Through Addition of Unmodified, Low-Cost Kraft Lignin

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Abstract

Wood/polymer composites are elegant strategies to produce materials with good performance and reduced cost. However, the addition of a lignocellulosic fiber is often responsible for the decreased thermal stability, decreasing their appeal as building materials. Here, we aimed to improve the thermal stability of wood/polypropylene composites through addition of unmodified, low-cost, abundant, ready-to-use kraft lignin. Besides thermal behavior, the composites were analyzed concerning to water relationships, colorimetric parameters, mechanical properties, and morphological features. The wood/propylene composites with and without lignin showed a very similar morphology with good interaction between matrix and biomasses. Thickness swelling decreased as function of lignin increment. The composites with 4, 12 and 20 wt% of lignin content had temperatures at 10% mass loss shifted toward higher temperatures (332, 350 and 362 °C, respectively) compared to wood/polypropylene (326 °C). Flexural strength of wood/propylene composite was preserved (42 MPa) at 4 wt% of lignin addition and tensile strength was kept unaltered in all ratios of lignin/wood (14–19 MPa).

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development) for supporting this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wood and Forestry Science Center (PPGEF), Federal University of Paraná, Lothário Meissner 900, Curitiba, 80210-170, Brazil

    Tainise V. Lourençon & Graciela I. B. Muniz

  2. Federal University of Amazonas, General Rodrigo Octávio 6200, Coroado I, Manaus, 69080-900, Brazil

    Beatriz V. Santilli

  3. Embrapa Florestas, Estrada da Ribeira, km 111, PO Box 319, Colombo, PR, Brazil

    Washington L. E. Magalhães

  4. Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16300, 00076, Helsinki, Finland

    Tainise V. Lourençon

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  1. Tainise V. Lourençon
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  3. Washington L. E. Magalhães
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  4. Graciela I. B. Muniz
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Correspondence to Tainise V. Lourençon.

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Lourençon, T.V., Santilli, B.V., Magalhães, W.L.E. et al. Thermal Stabilization of Wood/Polypropylene Composites Through Addition of Unmodified, Low-Cost Kraft Lignin. Waste Biomass Valor 11, 1555–1563 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-018-0484-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-018-0484-6

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