Mechanical, thermal, and morphological characterization of polylactic acid composites reinforced with coconut shell activated carbon

Plastic containers are typically produced from non-biodegradable, petroleum-based plastics such as polyethylene (PE) , polypropylene (PP) , and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) , which pose considerable environmental issues due to their durability. A process for fabricating composite materials was studied that used the compression molding method to incorporate chemically untreated coconut shell activated carbon ( 1.5%, 3%, 6%, and 10%) as the reinforcing ingredient within a PLA matrix to evaluate its effect on the mechanical, morphological, thermal, and wettability characteristics. The introduction of AC decreased both tensile and impact strengths, while marginally raising the tensile modulus slightly from 1135.4 MPa to 1138.15 MPa. The addition of an AC fi ller with PLA matrix did not affect the hardness test. SEM images showed that the higher AC content led to the formation of agglomeration and voids, which reduced the mechanical strength of the material. The DSC analysis revealed an increase in the melting point; however, the TGA data demonstrated a decrease in degradation and an increase in residue at 600 degrees C, particularly with a higher AC concentration. The FTIR study verified that there were no chemical interactions observed between PLA and AC. The wettability tests showed that AC functions as a barrier, especially at concentrations of 3% and 6%, resulting in decreased water absorption in comparison to pure PLA. The fi ndings indicated that PLAAC composites improved some PLA characteristics for packaging as they can improve barrier qualities and degrade the PLA material earlier.