Corncob residual reinforced polyethylene composites considering the biorefinery process and the enhancement of performance

Aiming to improve the economic feasibility of the corncob biorefinery process, fibers, including the corncob bagasse, xylose-extracted corncob residue and the ethanol-processing residue, were used as the reinforcing phase for the preparation of wood plastic composites (WPCs). The mechanical properties and the weathering performance of the composites were compared. The results indicated that the WPCs reinforced by the ethanol-processing residue showed balanced advantages in mechanical properties and weathering performance. The effects of the compatibilizer and the cellulose/lignin mixture on the WPC properties were further evaluated, indicating that use of 4 wt % of Polyethylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA) as the compatibilizer and a mixture of the EPR with lignin at a ratio of (9:1) were the optimized conditions for WPCs. The current work showed potential in making full use of the solid residue of biorefinery processes and making the waste profitable. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.