Green Composites from Residual Microalgae Biomass and Poly(butylene adipate- co -terephthalate): Processing and Plasticization

Abstract Innovative biocomposites from residual microalgae biomass (RMB), a byproduct of biodiesel production, and PBAT (poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)) have been prepared in this study. RMB was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and its thermal stability was determined. Subsequently, RMB and PBAT biocomposites were prepared by extrusion and injection molding. Incorporation of 10, 20 and 30% RMB in the biocomposites was studied. The biocomposites were characterized using FT-IR and thermogravimetric analysis, and their mechanical properties were compared, including tensile, flexural and impact strength. The effect of RMB on the morphology of the polymer matrix was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. RMB plasticization was performed with glycerol and urea, comparing different proportions of glycerol and urea. The studies show that it is possible to use RMB in the manufacture of biocomposites with PBAT, obtaining the best extrusion results with 20% RMB. Optimal result was achieved with 30% glycerol and 7.5 phr of urea.