Effect of Processing Conditions on Mechanical and Viscoelastic Properties of Biocomposites

In order to study the effect of processing conditions on the viscoelastic and the mechanical properties of biodegradable composites, several composites based on sisal fibres and biodegradable polymers (mater Bi-Z and mater Bi-Y) were prepared. The effect of the processing conditions such as speed of rotation, temperature, and time of mixing, was investigated. The mechanical and viscoelastic properties of these composites were affected by the processing conditions. This was principally due to the modification of the initial aspect ratio of the natural fibres, as consequence of the shear stresses developed in the mixer during the compounding.