Polybutylene adipate terephthalate-based hybrid composite filled with SiC decorated lignocellulose filler for simultaneous improvement of thermal conductivity and excellent anti-flaming performance

Abstract

With the growing concern on the plastic waste disposal crisis, there is a rapidly increasing interest in developing biopolymers that present specific properties for electronic devices. In this study, polybutylene adipate terephthalate/polylactic acid blend was reinforced with a surface-treated organic/inorganic hybrid filler for simultaneous enhancement of thermal conductivity and anti-flaming performance. The organic/inorganic hybrid filler was successfully produced by decorating SiC particles on the pores and surfaces of coffee husks (CHs) via mechanical and chemical techniques. CHs are comprised of lignocelluloses such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin that are present as interlinked complex macromolecular structure. The hybridization and surface treatment helped to promote excellent interfacial interaction between the fillers and matrices. As a result, the thermal conductivity of the hybrid composite was measured to be 0.88 W m−1 K−1, showing a 300% enhancement compared to the blend. In addition, this hybrid composite possesses excellent anti-flaming performance thereby exhibiting the properties of a UL94 V-0 material. In general, this work demonstrates the applicability of the fabricated hybrid biocomposites on bio-based electronic devices and their promising future applications. © 2022 Elsevier B.V.