Biocomposite materials are essential for environmental protection, as they have the ability of substituting synthetic plastic with natural materials. This work investigated how different plasticizers (Glycerol (G), Fructose (F), Sorbitol (S), and Urea (U)) affect the morphological, mechanical, thermal, and physical characteristics of films made of wheat starch at various concentrations (0%, 15%, 25%, and 35%). Plasticizers were added to improve the flexibility and homogeneity of the wheat starch-based bioplastic. Control film exhibited high tensile strength (38.7 MPa) with low elongation (1.9%). However, films plasticized with 35% sorbitol showed the highest elongation, which was 60.7% at break. At 35% of all plasticizers, fructose showed the highest tensile strength, with 7.6 MPa. The addition of different plasticizers shows improvement in water resistance; films plasticized with glycerol had the lowest water absorption at 35% fructose (187.4%) and also showed coherent surfaces. Glycerol, sorbitol, and urea films showed a higher mass loss compared to fructose films. Fructose showed the highest performance after the analysis of the results, with low water absorption, water content, and mass loss and with high mechanical performance at 35% of fructose. SEM images show that the addition of fructose and glycerol improves the surface homogenate, while sorbitol and urea have a less compact structure with large pores.

Biocomposite materials have a significant function in saving the environment by replacing artificial plastic materials with natural substances. They have been enrolled in many applications, such as housing, automotive engine components, aerospace and military products, electronic and circuit board components, and oil and gas equipment. Therefore, continuous studies have been employed to improve their mechanical, thermal, physical properties. In this research, we conduct a comprehensive review about corn fiber and corn starch-based biocomposite. The results gained from previous studies were compared and discussed. Firstly, the chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties of cornstarch-based composite were discussed. Then, the effects of various types of plasticizers on the flexibility of the cornstarch-based composite were addressed. The effects of chemical treatments on the properties of biocomposite using different cross-linking agents were discussed. The corn fiber surface treatment to enhance interfacial adhesion between natural fiber and polymeric matrix also were addressed. Finally, morphological characterization, crystallinity degree, and measurement of vapor permeability, degradation, and uptake of water were discussed. The mechanical, thermal, and water resistance properties of corn starch and fibers-based biopolymers show a significant improvement through plasticizing, chemical treatment, grafting, and cross-linker agent procedures, which expands their potential applications.

Biocomposite materials create a huge opportunity for a healthy and safe environment by replacing artificial plastic and materials with natural ingredients in a variety of applications. Furniture, construction materials, insulation, and packaging, as well as medical devices, can all benefit from biocomposite materials. Wheat is one of the world’s most widely cultivated crops. Due to its mechanical and physical properties, wheat starch, gluten, and fiber are vital in the biopolymer industry. Glycerol as a plasticizer considerably increased the elongation and water vapor permeability of wheat films. Wheat fiber developed mechanical and thermal properties as a result of various matrices; wheat gluten is water insoluble, elastic, non-toxic, and biodegradable, making it useful in biocomposite materials. This study looked at the feasibility of using wheat plant components such as wheat, gluten, and fiber in the biocomposite material industry.

The initial phase of this study was to investigate the effect of polypropylene carbonate (PPC) additions in polylactic acid (PLA)/curcumin (Cur) blends. It was observed that the presence of curcumin particulates behaved as a reinforcement filler for PPC additions up to 30 wt%. A specific composition was then invested to find the correlation between the fiber diameter and melt-spinning process parameters using central composite design (CCD), a subset of response surface methodology (RSM). Results showed that the spinning temperature had a greater effect than the spinning speed on the diameter of PLA/PPC/curcumin fiber. The response model indicated a good correlation between experimental and predicted values since the ANOVA analysis demonstrated high F-value of model adequacy at 10.34, non-significant lack of fit, precision adequacy of 9.94 and R2 value of 0.80. Therefore, this model can be used in a future study to establish the processing parameters for controlled fiber production. ABSTRAK: Fasa awal kajian ini adalah bagi mengkaji kesan penambahan karbonat polipropilin ke dalam campuran asid prolaktik (PLA)/kurkumin (Cur). Didapati kehadiran zarah-zarah kurkumin bertindak sebagai pengisi bantuan pada penambahan PPC sehingga 30 wt%. Komposisi tertentu kemudian dikaji bagi mencari kaitan diameter fiber dan parameter proses putaran-cair menggunakan rekaan komposit utama (CCD), dan subset metodologi gerak-balas permukaan (RSM). Keputusan menunjukkan suhu putaran berpengaruh besar berbanding kelajuan putaran pada diameter fiber PLA/PPC/kurkumin. Model yang bertindak balas ini menunjukkan kaitan yang baik antara eksperimen dan nilai yang dijangka kerana analisis ANOVA menunjukkan nilai-F yang tinggi pada 10.34 kecukupan model, tidak-ketara kurang padanan, kecukupan ketepatan pada 9.94 dan nilai R2 sebanyak 0.80. Oleh itu, model ini boleh digunakan pada kajian akan datang bagi menghasilkan parameter proses pengeluaran fiber kawalan.

This study investigates the tensile strength performance of titanium-polylactic acid (PLA) composites fabricated via fused deposition modeling (FDM) compared to pure PLA under identical manufacturing conditions. The aim is to identify whether surface integration and material combination strategies enhance the load-bearing capacity of polymer components. PLA filaments of 1.75mm diameter were used, and the Taguchi Design of Experiments (DOE) with an orthogonal L9 array was employed to assess the impact of process parameters such as printing temperature, bed temperature, and layer height on the Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS). Surface treatments, including laser structuring and sandblasting, were applied to selected titanium surfaces to study their effect on interfacial adhesion. Tensile tests were performed using a Universal Testing Machine, and statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS software. The results revealed a statistically significant difference in strength between the two materials, with titanium-PLA composites exhibiting significantly higher strength than pure PLA. The material type significantly influenced strength, with 98.2% of the variance in strength attributable to the material type. However, the material type did not significantly affect strength across the parameters of printing temperature, bed temperature, and layer height. The findings support the development of stronger and more reliable hybrid structures for structural and lightweight applications.