Curaua leaf fiber (Ananas comosus var. erectifolius) reinforcing poly(lactic acid) biocomposites: Formulation and performance

Formulations of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) reinforced by curaua leaf fibers were prepared and characterized. This biocomposite has material characteristics such as biodegradability and renewability. This work aimed to develop a PLA/curaua leaf fiber composite as a sustainable biodegradable polymer composite. The PLA and composites were thermally, mechanically, and morphologically evaluated. The critical fiber length was studied to check its influence on the mechanical properties. Predictions of the Young's modulus were done to compare with the experimental data, having a reasonable agreement. The Young's modulus increased above 70%, and the impact strength increased 20% compared with the pure PLA. Thermal analysis showed that formulations with up to 20% by weight of fibers were more thermally stable. The fiber modified the crystallinity of the PLA matrix. The best overall balance of properties was attained in composites containing 15% curaua fiber. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:1520–1530, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers