Mechanical, Thermal, and Moisture Properties of Plastics with Bean as Filler

New biocomposites involving edible beans, PLA, and LDPE have been made and studied. The biocomposites exhibit some desirable physical properties, such as moisture uptake, stiffness, and biodegradability. The composites have slightly different thermal properties relative to the polymers but significantly decreased mechanical properties. The PLA-bean composite may be used in applications where moisture uptake and water absorption properties are desirable. For LDPE, the addition of bean filler may be beneficial as a way to improve the stiffness of LDPE and/or to improve its biodegradability. In both cases the composites are cheaper in cost than the polymers by themselves due to the lower bean cost. The effects of a plasticizer such as glycerol and a crosslinker such as maleic anhydride have also been studied in selected cases.