Technological Properties Research of Biocomposites Based on the Natural Decomposable Compounds Reinforced with Buckwheat Husk

Abstract

The need to process packaging materials based on petrochemical polymers raises the question of the material for packaging production, while the raw materials for packaging should be multi-tonnage, biodegradable, cost-effective. The buckwheat husk containing up to 50 % fiber, 3–4 % crude protein, 4–5 % fat, 0.2–0.3 % sugars, 9–10% ash, tannins, which is able to inhibit metal corrosion is of a particular interest for the research. Buck wheat husk has a high bulk density – about 145 kg/m3. It is hydrophilic and is able to swell increased in volume by up to 25 %. The study aims at developing composite systems based on natural decomposable compounds reinforced with buckwheat husks. The researchers studied gelatin, sodium alginate, xanthan and guar gum, glycerin, potato starch as plasti cizer compounds. They determined that the buckwheat husk surface under the microscope was porous with many cracks, which explains its hydrophilic properties. The thesis presents characteristics of biocomposites and films from them after drying. A man revealed that the glycerin use did not require water introduction, still the biocomposite had a crumbly structure and low water absorption capacity. Biocomposites based on sodium alginate had optimal characteristics: they were plastic, formed a strong film, were well applicable to the surface, had a water absorption of 65.33 and 71.08 %, respectively. The work presented physicomechanical parameters of biocomposite films.