Hop natural fiber-reinforced poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate) (PBSA) biodegradable plastics: effect of fiber length on the performance of biocomposites

Hop fibers derived from attrition milling processing are used as reinforcements for poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate) (PBSA) to produce a biodegradable material for single-use applications. The overall performance of the composite was evaluated via mechanical and thermal characterization. The produced fibers with sizes of 0.25 mm, 1 mm, and 2 mm were used at 30 wt% in the composite. The results indicated that the fiber's size distribution plays a crucial role in the performance of biocomposites. The 1 mm fiber-reinforced biocomposite showed better overall performance. This was attributed to a narrower particle size distribution. For these composites, the tensile strength at yield of biocomposites was similar to neat PBSA, with the tensile and flexural moduli and flexural strength improved by 320, 240 and 118%, respectively. The HDT increased from 60 degrees C in neat PBSA to similar to 90 degrees C for composites, which is a fundamental property to expand PBSA applications.