Page 332 - 00. Complete Version - Progress Report IPEN 2014-2016

332 Materials and Nanotechnology | Progress Report

PCN materials based on synthetic hectorite the present research focuses the preparation of
clay and cassava starch were prepared. When micro and nanoparticle from natural resource
small amounts of clay are added, the XRD data and development of advanced polymer com-
indicate the formation of mostly exfoliated posite materials for several applications. Micro
nanocomposites, in which individual or few and nanoparticle preparation: Bio-CaCO3 was
stacked inorganic layers are dispersed in the obtained from white chicken eggshells; green
polymer matrix. However, when amounts of silica was obtained by keeping sugarcane ba-
clay higher 10% are added, intercalated nano- gasse or rice husk ashes in an air insufflating
composites are formed. FT-Raman spectra in- oven at 450 º C, then ball-milled and classified
dicate that crystallinity of starch in the hybrid granulometrically (particle sizes ≤ 125 μm).
films decreases as the amount of Laponite is Coffee parchment husk, Brazil nut shell, sug-
increased, corroborating with XRD data. Pre- arcane bagasse, piassava, and rice husk fiber
pared films are transparent and homogeneous. residues were scraped, washed, dried and re-
According to TGA analysis, the different steps duced to fine powder, with particle sizes ≤ 250
of thermal decomposition are dependent on μm by using ball mills. Bio-CaCO3 and green
the amount of clay in the hybrid material. The silica nanoparticles were synthesized using
good dispersion of Laponite particles in the sonochemical methods, by irradiation with
biodegradable starch polymer is attractive to high intensity ultrasonic (20 kHz, 450 W/cm2).
develop functional materials for nanomedi- Cellulose nanowhiskers were produced from
cine applications, Fig.55. commercial microcrystalline cellulose (MCC,
Avicel PH- 101, FMC BioPolymer, USA) and
Polymer composites reinforced with micro from sugarcane bagasse using acid hydroly-
and nanoparticle from natural resources sis and irradiated with a high intensity ultra-

sonic (20 kHz, and 450W/cm2). Brazilian clays
The interest in polymer composites that enable were modified by the addition of a quaterna-
the use of products with less environmental ry salt and sodium carbonate Graphene oxide
impact, such as vegetable fibers, agroindus- (GO) was prepared from purified conventional
try residues, clays and other natural resourc- flake graphite and irradiated with a high in-
es have rapidly grown in the last two decades tensity ultrasonic (20 kHz, and 450W/cm2) to
worldwide. However, there is still a long way obtain GO nanosheets (Figure 56).
to go in research to obtain ideal polymeric
composites and nanocomposites from natu-
ral resources.

Figure 56. Graphene Oxide preparation.
The focus of this research is to explore Bra-
zil`s enormous natural resources for the pro-
duction of biobased and conventional polymer Development of flexible packaging
composite and nanocomposite materials and material based on biodegradable
to avoid the huge amount of waste produced polymer reinfoced with micro and
by its agroindustry, thus contributing to a sus- nanoparticle from natural resources
tainable development and, consequently, help-
ing to improve the life standard of people, who Flexible film based on biodegradable blend
can live off the exploitation of these resourc- prepared from of poli(butileno adipato-co-te-
es. Based on the previous important questions, reftalato) “PBAT” and Poly Lactic Acid “PLA”,

Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares