Development of a bio-based composite material from soybean oil and keratin fibers

A novel bio-based composite material, suitable for electronic as well as automotive and aeronautical applications, was developed from soybean oils and keratin feather fibers (KF). This environmentally friendly, low-cost composite can be a substitute for petroleum-based composite materials. Keratin fibers are a hollow, light, and tough material and are compatible with several soybean (S) resins, such as acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO). The new KFS lightweight composites have a density p approximate to 1 g/cm(3), when the KF volume fraction is 30%. The hollow keratin fibers were not filled by resin infusion and the composite retained a significant volume of air in the hollow structure of the fibers. Due to the retained air, the dielectric constant, k, of the composite material was in the range of 1.7-2.7, depending on the fiber volume fraction, and these values are significantly lower than the conventional silicon dioxide or epoxy, or polymer dielectric insulators. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the 30 wt % composite was 67.4 ppm/degreesC; this value is low enough for electronic application and similar to the value of silicon materials or polyimides used in printed circuit boards. The water absorption of the AESO polymer was 0.5 wt % at equilibrium and the diffusion coefficient in the KFS composites was dependent on the keratin fiber content. The incorporation of keratin fibers in the soy oil polymer enhanced the mechanical properties such as storage modulus, fracture toughness, and flexural properties, ca. 100% increase at 30 vol %. The fracture energy of a single keratin fiber in the composite was determined to be about 3 kJ/m(2) with a fracture stress of about 100-200 MPa. Considerable improvements in the KFS composite properties should be possible by optimization of the resin structure and fiber selection. (C) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.