The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of agricultural biomass residues as reinforcement in recycled polymer matrices. In this study, recycled polypropylene and high-density polyethylene composites (rPPPE) filled with three types of biomass residues, sweet clover straws (SCS), buckwheat straws (BS) and rapeseed straws (RS), are presented. The effects of the fiber type and the fibers content on the rheological behavior, mechanical properties (including tensile, flexural and impact strength), thermal stability and moisture absorbance were determined, in addition to morphological analysis. It was revealed that the addition of SCS, BS or RS increased the materials’ stiffness and strength. The reinforcement effect increased as the loading of the fibers was increased, especially for BS composites in the flexural test. After the moisture absorbance test, it was found that the reinforcement effect slightly increased for the composites with 10% fibers but decreases with 40% fibers. The results highlight that the selected fibers are a feasible reinforcement for recycled polyolefin blend matrices.

In the context of sustainable materials, this study explores the effects of accelerated weathering testing and bacterial biodegradation on poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV)/rapeseed microfiber biocomposites. Accelerated weathering, simulating outdoor environmental conditions, and bacterial biodegradation, representing natural degradation processes in soil, were employed to investigate the changes in the mechanical, thermal and morphological properties of these materials during its post-production life cycle. Attention was paid to the assessment of the change of structural, mechanical and calorimetric properties of alkali and N-methylmorpholine N-oxide (NMMO)-treated rapeseed microfiber (RS)-reinforced plasticized PHBV composites before and after accelerated weathering. Results revealed that accelerated weathering led to an increase in stiffness, but a reduction in tensile strength and elongation at break, of the investigated PHBV biocomposites. Additionally, during accelerated weathering, the crystallinity of PHBV biocomposites increased, especially in the presence of RS, due to both the hydrolytic degradation of the polymer matrix and the nucleating effect of the filler. It has been observed that an increase in PHBV crystallinity, determined by DSC measurements, correlates with the intensity ratio I_1225/1180 obtained from FTIR-ATR data. The treatment of RS microfibers increased the biodegradation capability of the developed PHBV composites, especially in the case of chemically untreated RS. All the developed PHBV composites demonstrated faster biodegradation in comparison to neat PHBV matrix.

This research presents the alkali treatment effect on three types of agricultural residues: sweet clover (SCS), buckwheat (BS), and rapeseed straws (RS). The aim of the study was to find the optimal treatment conditions for each straw type, and to assess the potential of sweet clover straw as reinforcement for polymer composites in comparison to buckwheat and rapeseed. The straws were ground and treated for 15, 30, and 60 min using NaOH at concentrations of 2, 5, and 10%. To investigate the treatment results on the SCS, BS, and RS fibers, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, optical microscope, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis were used. Results indicate that the optimal room-temperature alkaline-treatment conditions of SCS fibers were the same as those for RS treated with 2% NaOH solution for 30 min. These conditions were milder in comparison to those used for the treatment of BS: 60 min in a 5% NaOH solution. During the treatment, noncellulosic substances were largely removed, and the aspect ratio of the fibers was increased, and the destruction temperature, crystallinity, and morphology were also affected. Consequently, SCS has promising potential for use in polymer composites.