Poly(lactic acid) composite films reinforced with microcrystalline cellulose and keratin from chicken feather fiber in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride

Amphiphilic keratin from chicken feather fiber (CFF) and hydrophilic cellulose were incorporated as fillers into hydrophobic poly(lactic acid) (PLA) polymer blend. This study implemented ionic liquid (IL) of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIMCl) to dissolve the 1 wt % fillers. The composite films were compared with and without the addition of IL prepared from five sets of ratios of CFF to MCC using measuring mixers and compression molding. Thermal analysis showed that increase in CFF composition decreases the glass-transition temperature (T-g), and crystallization temperature (T-c) as well as increases the degree of crystallinity. PLA composite with the 70/30 ratio of CFF to MCC was found to be the optimum composition in obtaining considerably low T-g and high crystallinity. BMIMCl enhanced the miscibility of the composites as observed in scanning electron microscope images and single T-g. Apart from creating porous structure and lowering mechanical hardness, BMIMCl also decreased the thermal stability of the PLA composites. (c) 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47642.