Evaluation of the Mechanical and Biocidal Properties of Lapacho from Tabebuia Plant as a Biocomposite Material
Magdalena Stepczyńska, Alona Pawłowska, Krzysztof Moraczewski, Piotr Rytlewski, Andrzej Trafarski, Daria Olkiewicz, Maciej Walczak
Abstract
The aim of this article is to discuss in detail the physicochemical properties of polylactide (PLA) reinforced by cortex fibers, which may cause bacterial mortality and increased biodegradation rates. PLA biocomposites containing cortex Lapacho fibers from Tabebuia (1-10 wt%) were prepared by extrusion and injection moulding processes. The effects of Lapacho on the mechanical and biocidal properties of the biocomposites were studied using tensile and impact tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry (TG), and the method of evaluating the antibacterial activity of antibacterial treated according to the standard ISO 22196:2011. It also presented the effects of Lapacho on the structural properties and biodegradation rates of biocomposites. This research study provides very important results complementing the current state of knowledge about the biocidal properties of Lapacho from Tabebuia plants and about cortex-reinforced biocomposites.