Chitin Fiber from Mushroom as Reinforcement for Biobased Polymer. Issue 1 (November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zin, M I M; Shamsudin, N S; Ali, F; Nawawi, W M F W
• Is Part Of: IOP conference series. Volume 1192:Issue 1(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-11
• Subjects: Materials science -- Periodicals; 620.1105
• DOI: 10.1088/1757-899X/1192/1/012016
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1757-8981

Abstract

Abstract: This project aimed to study the reinforcement effect of fungal chitin at different loading on chitin/PLA composite. The chitin nanofibers were extracted from three mushroom species (oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus, shiitake mushroom Lentinula edodes, enoki mushroom Flammulina velutipes ) and used as a reinforcement element in PLA. The chitin/PLA composite was fabricated using a solvent-casting method followed by the hot-compress molding method. In the solvent-casting method, the chitin nanofibers were dispersed in PLA/chloroform mixture and the mixture was left for solvent evaporation. The solvent-free chitin/PLA thin film was then filled in dog bone mold before proceeded with hot-compress molding at 190°C and 70 bar. The samples with different chitin loading were tested with tensile test to study the mechanical performance of nanocomposite. The chitin/PLA composite from oyster mushroom shows the optimum result (σ= 43 MPa, E= 12 MPa) at 5% chitin loading. The increment of the chitin loading leads to a decrease in both strength and strain. However, for the samples from enoki and shitake mushrooms, the optimum chitin loading is 10% with 55 MPa and 56 MPa tensile strength, respectively. This study suggests the potential of fungal chitin as reinforcement in PLA.