Lignocellulosic composites based on flax and thermoplastics

The increasing global population and widespread consumerism have led to a significant rise in waste generation. While recycling rates have improved, they remain insufficient, making innovative approaches to waste management necessary. One promising strategy involves utilizing agricultural by-products, such as flax pomace, a residue from oil extraction, as an alternative filler in wood plastic composites (WPC). This study investigates the feasibility of replacing conventional wood-based fillers in WPC with flax pomace to create more sustainable materials. Composites were produced using flax pomace and thermoplastics: high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polylactide (PLA), and polypropylene (PP). The materials underwent Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to analyze chemical structure, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to assess thermal stability, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine the morphology of composites. FTIR analysis showed that the materials are bonding physically, not chemically. All composites do not create a fully homogenous structure, but PLA_FLAX stands out due to its visibly loose and irregular internal structure, with noticeable gaps between particles. PE_FLAX and PLA_FLAX, occurred to be less thermally stable than neat polymers, but PP_FLAX showed the opposite. Composites made of flax pomace are promising alternatives for WPC. Further research and process optimization may support their application as wood-based product alternatives.

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Opracowanie rekordu ze środków MNiSW, umowa nr POPUL/SP/0154/2024/02 w ramach programu "Społeczna odpowiedzialność nauki II" - moduł: Popularyzacja nauki (2025).