When two or more individual materials combine to form a new material with improved characteristics, a composite is created. The two major components in a thermoplastic composite are the polymer, such as polypropylene (PP), and the filler, such as minerals like calcium carbonate and talc, or agricultural crop by-products like wheat straw, soy hull and soy stems. The main advantages of using agricultural fillers (AgFillers) in polypropylene are cost reduction and modulus improvement, without drastically increasing the specific gravity of the composite. These properties can be further enhanced by subjecting the composite to the bulk orientation process, in which the polymer chains align to give superior strength to the material, while the presence of polar AgFillers contributes to a reduction in material density. The objective of this research was to systematically study the relationships between the components and properties of AgFiller-PP composites, and their contributions to property modifications. Three types of AgFillers, wheat straw (WS), soy hulls (SH) and soy stems (SS) were studied, along with two PP types, virgin PP (vPP) and recycled PP (rPP), and mixtures of the two PP types. Non-oriented composites with a composition ratio of 40 wt% AgFiller to 60 wt% PP were tested for their morphology, chemical, thermal, rheological and mechanical properties. Similar properties of oriented composites with 20 wt% wheat straw filler and 80 wt% PP were also examined. The type of AgFiller was found to play a significant role in determining the rheological and mechanical properties of non-oriented AgFiller-PP composites. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that AgFillers had the tendancy to align lengthwise when subjected to the extrusion process. Depending on the fiber alignment within the filler with respect to the lengthwise direction of the filler, each AgFiller contributed differently to the composites’ properties. Stem-based AgFillers like WS and SS had fiber alignment parallel to the lengthwise direction, and the composites created had higher viscosity and higher flexural modulus. On the other hand, shell-based AgFillers like SH had fiber alignment perpendicular to the filler’s length, and were found to have less contribution to viscosity increase. Fourier transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy using attenuated total reflectance (ATR) technique showed that a skin layer of PP congregated on the surface of all the non-oriented AgFiller-PP composites, regardless of the AgFiller used. The main contribution of PP polymer type was to the rheological properties of non oriented AgFiller-PP composites. The presence of rPP also appeared to slightly improve the immiscibility between polar AgFillers and nonpolar PP polymer, according to SEM image analysis. The viscosity of the composites decreased linearly with increasing amount of rPP, because the rPP tested had significantly lower viscosity than the vPP chosen. No statistically significant conclusions could be drawn on the mechanical property changes due to large experimental variance that existed in the data. Bulk orientation of AgFiller-PP composites was shown to provide significant reduction in the material’s density as well as improvement in physical properties. Experimental results of oriented wheat straw-PP composites showed that wheat straw was highly comparable, perhaps even more superior, to wood fibers as filler for oriented PP composites. The ability to produce oriented wheat straw-PP composites using the same technology and conditions as producing oriented wood-plastic composites affirmed the feasibility for commercialization of oriented wheat straw-PP composites, and by means contributing to setting a milestone in the scientific research of AgFiller-thermoplastic biocomposites.

When two or more individual materials combine to form a new material with improved characteristics, a composite is created. The two major components in a thermoplastic composite are the polymer, such as polypropylene (PP), and the filler, such as minerals like calcium carbonate and talc, or agricultural crop by-products like wheat straw, soy hull and soy stems. The main advantages of using agricultural fillers (AgFillers) in polypropylene are cost reduction and modulus improvement, without drastically increasing the specific gravity of the composite. These properties can be further enhanced by subjecting the composite to the bulk orientation process, in which the polymer chains align to give superior strength to the material, while the presence of polar AgFillers contributes to a reduction in material density. The objective of this research was to systematically study the relationships between the components and properties of AgFiller-PP composites, and their contributions to property modifications. Three types of AgFillers, wheat straw (WS), soy hulls (SH) and soy stems (SS) were studied, along with two PP types, virgin PP (vPP) and recycled PP (rPP), and mixtures of the two PP types. Non-oriented composites with a composition ratio of 40 wt% AgFiller to 60 wt% PP were tested for their morphology, chemical, thermal, rheological and mechanical properties. Similar properties of oriented composites with 20 wt% wheat straw filler and 80 wt% PP were also examined. The type of AgFiller was found to play a significant role in determining the rheological and mechanical properties of non-oriented AgFiller-PP composites. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that AgFillers had the tendancy to align lengthwise when subjected to the extrusion process. Depending on the fiber alignment within the filler with respect to the lengthwise direction of the filler, each AgFiller contributed differently to the composites’ properties. Stem-based AgFillers like WS and SS had fiber alignment parallel to the lengthwise direction, and the composites created had higher viscosity and higher flexural modulus. On the other hand, shell-based AgFillers like SH had fiber alignment perpendicular to the filler’s length, and were found to have less contribution to viscosity increase. Fourier transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy using attenuated total reflectance (ATR) technique showed that a skin layer of PP congregated on the surface of all the non-oriented AgFiller-PP composites, regardless of the AgFiller used. The main contribution of PP polymer type was to the rheological properties of non oriented AgFiller-PP composites. The presence of rPP also appeared to slightly improve the immiscibility between polar AgFillers and nonpolar PP polymer, according to SEM image analysis. The viscosity of the composites decreased linearly with increasing amount of rPP, because the rPP tested had significantly lower viscosity than the vPP chosen. No statistically significant conclusions could be drawn on the mechanical property changes due to large experimental variance that existed in the data. Bulk orientation of AgFiller-PP composites was shown to provide significant reduction in the material’s density as well as improvement in physical properties. Experimental results of oriented wheat straw-PP composites showed that wheat straw was highly comparable, perhaps even more superior, to wood fibers as filler for oriented PP composites. The ability to produce oriented wheat straw-PP composites using the same technology and conditions as producing oriented wood-plastic composites affirmed the feasibility for commercialization of oriented wheat straw-PP composites, and by means contributing to setting a milestone in the scientific research of AgFiller-thermoplastic biocomposites.

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Pectin is a soluble dietary fiber that in addition to its role in the food industry as a thickener and emulsifier, provides metabolic effects related to weight control, lipids and glucose levels. It is found in significant amounts in agro-industrial residues such as bark and fruit cake. Soybean hulls, a product derived from the bran extraction and legume oil, also has a large amount of pectin in its composition. However, sources of different characteristics tend to provide pectins with monomeric organization and differentiated properties, which determine its technological application and metabolic role. Moreover, studies have indicated that the products of its hydrolysis, in particular pectic oligosaccharides have bifidogenic characteristics are considered as a new class of prebiotics. However, changes in physical and chemical properties caused by hydrolysis and its metabolic effects are not well studied. The optimal amounts of pectic prebiotics consumption also require further evidence to be established. Therefore, the aim of this study was to select promising raw material for efficient extraction and hydrolysis of pectin, evaluating the resulting product (partially hydrolyzed pectin) and the physical and chemical properties and prebiotic potential in vivo. The agro-industrial waste used were soybean hulls, passion fruit peel and orange peel. The passion fruit peel was the raw material with the greatest potential for pectin extraction by presenting yield ( 15.71 %) and galacturonic acid content ( 51.3 % ) , similar to orange peel ( 17.96 % yield and 60.45 % of galacturonic acid) in pectic concentrate, but with residual levels of protein and lipids reduced. Although high pectin content in its composition , the yield of extraction of the polysaccharide was only 5.66 % for soybean hulls . Therefore, passion fruit peel was chosen for pectit prebiotics production. Acid hydrolysis was efficient for two hours to produce changes in molecular weight distribution profile of passion fruit peel pectin, increasing the amount of low molecular weight compounds. The physico-chemical properties form also altered by hydrolysis, with decreased water holding capacity and the copper connection, and increased capacity for absorbing fat. The addition of 0.25% of partially hydrolyzed passion fruit peel pectin provided prebiotic effect, resulting in increased production of short chain fatty acids in growth in rat cecum. / A pectina é uma fibra alimentar solúvel que, além de seu papel na indústria de alimentos como espessante e emulsificante, proporciona efeitos metabólicos relacionados ao controle do peso, perfil lipídico e glicêmico. É encontrada em quantidades significativas em resíduos da agroindústria, como cascas e bagaços de frutas. A casca de soja, um produto resultante da extração do farelo e do óleo da leguminosa, também possui grande quantidade de pectina em sua composição. Todavia, fontes de características diferentes tendem a fornecer pectinas com organização monomérica e propriedades diferenciadas, as quais determinam sua aplicação tecnológica e papel metabólico. Além disso, estudos têm apontado que os produtos da sua hidrólise, em especial os oligossacarídeos pécticos, apresentam características bifidogênicas, sendo considerados uma nova classe de prebióticos. No entanto, as alterações nas propriedades físico-químicas causadas pela hidrólise e seus efeitos metabólicos são pouco estudadas. As quantidades ideais de consumo de prebióticos pécticos também carecem de maiores evidências para serem estabelecidas. Portanto, o objetivo deste estudo foi selecionar matéria-prima promissora para eficiente extração e hidrólise de pectinas, avaliando o produto resultante (pectina parcialmente hidrolisada) quanto às propriedades físico-químicas e potencial prebiótico in vivo. Os resíduos agroindustriais utilizados foram casca de soja, casca de maracujá e bagaço de laranja. A casca de maracujá foi a matéria-prima de maior potencial para extração de pectinas por apresentar rendimento (15,71%) e teor de ácido galacturônico (51,3%), semelhante ao bagaço de laranja (17,96% de rendimento e 60,45% de ácido galacturônico) no concentrado péctico, porém com teores residuais de proteína e lipídeos reduzidos. Embora com elevado teor de pectina em sua composição, o rendimento de extração deste polissacarídeo foi de apenas 5,66% para a casca de soja. Portanto, a casca de maracujá foi escolhida para a produção dos prebióticos pécticos. A hidrólise ácida por duas horas foi eficiente para produzir alterações no perfil de distribuição de massa molar da pectina de casca de maracujá, aumentando a quantidade de compostos de baixa massa molar. As propriedades físico-químicas também foram alteradas pela hidrólise, com diminuição da capacidade de retenção de água e de ligação a cobre, e aumento da capacidade de absorção de gordura. A adição de 0,25% de pectina de casca de maracujá parcialmente hidrolisada proporcionou efeito prebiótico, confirmado pela maior produção de ácidos graxos de cadeia curta no ceco de ratos em crescimento.