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Technological Biomaterials
Since the last decades there has been a growing demand of friendly products environment, promoting the development of biodegradable materials based on biopolymers as lipids, polysaccharides, and proteins, which have been studied being renewable raw materials and inexpensive considered as an alternative to plastic nonbiodegradable and based on petroleum. The use of biomaterials from different sources has been widely investigated over the past two decades because of its properties of biodegradability and biocompatibility. Nevertheless, the practical industrial application of biomaterials also requires controlling the material lifetime and durability. Our group is currently investigating the development of novel biomaterials of industrial interest using low-cost raw materials deriving from waste industrial processes.
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Biopolymers
This research line addresses the synthesis of biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) of different middle molecular weights to regulate the polymer biodegradability as well as its economic lifetime. The reaction feedstock is lactic acid obtained via the selective oxidation of vegetable oil-derived glycerol. The obtained PLA molecular weight depends on the reactant (LA or its lactide dimer), catalyst nature and reactant conditions.
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Biocomposites
The goal is to develop novel materials consisting of a biopolymer matrix reinforced with wood sawdust fibers. The biopolymer matrix is a cross-linked natural polymer such as soybean meal proteins cross-linked with glutaraldehyde, glyoxal and/or maleic or succinic acids. Biocomposites are obtained either by extrusion or by warm pressing and then thoroughly characterized by a variety of physical and spectroscopic techniques.