Investigation of long-term ageing effect on the thermal properties of chicken feather fibre/poly(lactic acid) biocomposites

In this study, the effects of long-term natural atmospheric ageing on the thermal properties of chicken feather fibre reinforced poly(lactic acid) biocomposite materials having chicken feather fibre mass content of 2, 5, and 10% were investigated. Chicken feather fibres, which are bio-based reinforcement material, and poly(lactic acid), which is bio-based matrix material, are compounded with a twin-screw extruder and injection-moulded; hence, the biocomposite material is produced. The effect of long-term natural atmospheric ageing on the thermal stability, crystallization, and melting behaviour of the biocomposite materials were analysed by thermogravimetric, derivative thermogravimetry, differential thermal, and differential scanning calorimetry analyses. In addition, the fracture surface of the samples was examined in depth by scanning electron microscopy analysis. The experimental results show that the long-term natural ageing process decreases the thermal stability values of the biocomposite materials and increases the glass transition temperatures and degree of crystallinities.