Abstract
Lignin is a renewable resource, but it is also considered a waste or a very-low-value material. Herein, we propose a lignin-derived compatibilizing agent as an alternative to the current compatibilizing agents. We prepared a polypropylene-based carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) with butylated lignin (C4 lignin). Upon the addition of C4 lignin, the dispersion of carbon fiber into the matrix, and the adhesion between the carbon fiber and the matrix were greatly improved. As a result, the tensile strength of the CFRP prepared with C4 lignin was greater than that of the CFRP without lignan lignin (37.1 compared to 40.2 MPa). This value is close to that of CFRPs prepared with maleic anhydride-modified polypropylene (40.9 MPa), an existing compatibilizing agent. C4 lignin is a promising candidate for biomass-derived compatibilizing agents for polypropylene-based CFRPs.
Similar content being viewed by others
Log in or create a free account to read this content
Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com
or
References
Lim LT, Auras R, Rubino M. Processing technologies for poly(lactic acid). Prog Polym Sci. 2008;33:820–52.
Ragauskas J, Williams CK, Davison HB, Britovsek G, Cairney J, Eckert AC, Frederick JW Jr., Hallett PJ, Leak JD, Liotta LC, Mielenz RJ, Murphy R, Templer R, Tschaplinski T. The path forward for biofuels and biomaterials. Science. 2206;311:484–9.
Uchikawa H, Sawaki D, Hanehara S. Influence of kind and added timing of organic admixture on the composition, structure and property of fresh cement paste. Cem Concr Res. 1995;25:353–64.
Mialon L, Pemba GA, Miller AS. Biorenewable polyethylene terephthalate mimics derived from lignin and acetic acid. Green Chem. 2010;12:1704–6.
Borges da Silva AE, Zabkova M, Araujo DJ, Cateto AC, Barreiro FM, Belgacem NM, Rodrigues EA. An integrated process to produce vanillin and lignin-based polyurethanes from Kraft lignin. Chem Eng Res Des. 2009;87:1276–92.
Umeyama T, Kadota N, Tezuka N, Matano Y, Imahori H. Photoinduced energy transfer in composites of poly[(p-phenylene-1,2-vinylene)-co-(p-phenylene-1,1vinylidene)] and single-walled carbon nanotubes. Chem Phys Lett. 2007;444:263–7.
Teng YN, Dallmeyer I, Kadla FJ. Effect of softwood kraft lignin fractionation on the dispersion of multiwalled carbon nanotubes. Ind Eng Chem Res. 2013;52:6311–7.
Liu Y, Gao L, Sun J. Noncovalent functionalization of carbon nanotubes with sodium lignosulfonate and subsequent quantum dot decoration. J Phys Chem C. 2007;111:1223–9.
Yang Q, Pan X, Huang X, Li K. Fabrication of high-concentration and stable aqueous suspensions of graphene nanosheets by noncovalent functionalization with lignin and cellulose derivatives. J Phys Chem C. 2010;114:3811–6.
Valentini L, Biagiotti J, Kenny MJ, Santucci S. Morphological characterization of single-walled carbon nanotube-PP composites. Compos Sci Technol. 2003;3:1149–53.
Lloyd MS, Vave B. Life cycle economic and environmental implications of using nanocomposites in automobiles. Environ Sci Technol. 2003;37:3458–66.
Karsli GN, Aytac A. Effects of maleated polypropylene on the morphology, thermal and mechanical properties of short carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene composites. Mater Des. 2011;32:4069–73.
Sakai H, Kuroda K, Muroyama S, Tsukegi T, Kakuchi R, Takada K, Hata A, Kojima R, Ogoshi T, Omichi M, Ninomiya K, Takahashi K. Alkylated alkali lignin for compatibilizing agents of carbon fiber reinforced plastics with polypropylene. Polym J. 2018;50:281–4.
Wong HK, Mohammed SD, Pickering JS, Brooks R. Effect of coupling agents on reinforcing potential of recycled carbon fiber for polypropylene composite. Compos Sci Technol. 2012;72:835–44.
Kakuchi R, Yamaguchi M, Endo T, Shibata Y, Ninomiya K, Ikai T, Maeda K, Takahashi K. Efficient and rapid direct transesterification reactions of cellulose with isopropenyl acetate in ionic liquids. RSC Adv. 2015;88:72071–4.
Granata A, Argyropoulos DS. 2-Chloro-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaphospholane, a reagent for the accurate determination of the uncondensed and condensed phenolic moieties in lignins. J Agric Food Chem. 1995;43:1538–44.
Kada D, Koubaa A, Tabak G, Migneault S, Garnier B, Boudenne A. Tensile properties, thermal conductivity, and thermal stability of short carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene composites. Polym Compos. 2016. https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.24093.
Lin J-H, Huang C-L, Liu C-F, Chen C-K, Lin Z-I, Lou C-W. Polypropylene/short glass fibers composites: effects of coupling agents on mechanical properties, thermal behaviors, and morphology. Materials. 2015;8:8279–91.
Bhaskar J, Haq S, Yadaw SB. Evaluation and testing of mechanical properties of wood plastic composite. J Thermoplast Compos Mater. 2011;25:391–401.
Acknowledgements
This research was promoted by the COI program, “Construction of next-generation infrastructure using innovative materials—Realization of safe and secure society that can coexist with the Earth for centuries” supported by MEXT and JST. This study was also supported in part by an Advanced Low Carbon Technology Research and Development Program of the JST and the Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program, also from the JST. This study was also partly supported by KAKENHI (18K14281) and Leading Initiative for Excellent Young Researchers from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Electronic supplementary material
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sakai, H., Kuroda, K., Tsukegi, T. et al. Butylated lignin as a compatibilizing agent for polypropylene-based carbon fiber-reinforced plastics. Polym J 50, 997–1002 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-018-0088-9
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Version of record:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-018-0088-9
This article is cited by
-
Selective substitution of long-acyl groups into alcohols of kraft lignin over transesterification using ionic liquid
Journal of Wood Science (2021)
-
Flame-retardant plant thermoplastics directly prepared by single ionic liquid substitution
Polymer Journal (2019)
