Session: 16-01-01: Government Agency Student Poster Competition

Paper Number: 150116

150116 - Development and Investigation of a Biodegradable Starch-Based Polymeric Composite for Structural Applications 

Environmental sustainability has become one of the main goals that drives the design and innovation of current technologies and materials for diverse engineering applications. This has opened a new door for composite materials, as they can be tailored for any application. In structural engineering, high specific strength has been truly favored, allowing polymeric composites to thrive in the aerospace, automobile, and packaging industries. However, their biodegradability and biocompatibility often raise concerns about their perpetual usage. Although research has progressed to aid in recycling some of the components, this is still not a viable long-term solution due to the cost, resources, and reusability of these components. This has caused many scientists to rush into developing new materials that will not only meet functional requirements but also satisfy environmental concerns.

Starch is a naturally occurring polysaccharide on earth, with many sources possessing properties that mitigate most of the above-stated problems of synthetic polymers. Many scientists have employed different sources and methods in producing renewable and biodegradable starch (RBS) to harness its potential for engineering applications. Like many others, our team discovered the extraordinary properties of a common household starch, tapioca, from cassava. By modifying a traditional method of preparation indigenous to Ghana, we studied and explored many of its properties, including mechanical strength, electrical conductivity, self-healing, and others yet to be discovered and studied.

To form this polymer, a discrete ratio of water, organic oil, and flour are thoroughly mixed to form a colloidal suspension that is subjected to heating above 130^oC, allowing the material to fully polymerize. The main aim of this project is to design a fully degradable composite capable of diverse applications, one of which is loading bearing. Jute fibers were used as reinforcements in the RBS polymer, producing a composite with tensile and compressive strengths of about 11 MPa and 9 MPa respectively. These results were obtained without any chemical modifications like esterification, etherification, or oxidation yet these results are comparable to similar bio-based composites that have undergone these modifications. FTIR spectroscopy revealed that our RBS is susceptible to any of the above modifications using either or both organic and inorganic reagents. Similarly, FTIR revealed a N-H functional group, which was later proved to a functional group of a pyrrole-containing polymer through XRD analysis. Preliminary electrochemical and electrical tests reveal that RBS could conduct electricity and, due to the presence of pyrrole compounds, also possess the potential to store electrical charges in mild proportions.

It was observed that the failure in the RBS composite mechanical test samples was caused by both polymer (former) and fiber (later) breakage without the fiber pulling out. This suggests that there is a high interfacial interaction between the RBS and jute fibers, which is not the case for most polymeric composites without prior surface modification. This polymer is also able to heal itself upon damage under heat, pressure, and moisture, further broadening its prospects. Our goal is to carefully analyze holistically all properties of this new material and renew the possibility to harnessing one of the world's most available plant products for more than food. By understanding the underlying structures, we believe that all its properties can be specifically improved to suit an application. Although curing the material for mechanical purposes requires an appreciable amount of time, which increases the probability of introducing defects,. Further studies will help mitigate its current limitations including its excessive shrinking and poor surface finish. This material has the potential to an affordable, safe, and environmentally friendly substitute for many synthetic polymers, allowing researchers to explore more complex technology, including biodegradable structural composites, decomposable packaging materials, batteries, and conductors.

Presenting Author: Obed Nyavor Southern University and A & M College

Presenting Author Biography: Obed Nyavor is a distinguished scholar who graduated in the top percentile of his class from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, with a BSc in Materials Engineering. He has researched extensively in various fields, including energy storage, computational analysis of photonic systems, and biodegradable and eco-friendly polymers. Currently, Obed is pursuing a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering at Southern University, focusing on materials science under the supervision of Professor Guoqiang Li from Louisiana State University.

Obed's dedication to advancing knowledge in his field is evident through his active participation in numerous research projects. His expertise in materials science and engineering and his passion for innovation and sustainability allow him to inspire others and contribute to the development of cutting-edge technologies that address global challenges.

Authors:

Obed Nyavor Southern University and A & M College
John Konlan Louisiana State University
Guoqiang Li Louisiana State University