Effects of pine rosin on the degradation of mechanical performance in flax-reinforced polymeric composites after soil burial at low temperatures

The effect of pine rosin (RO) was studied relative to the biodegradation poly(lactic acid) (PLA), starch-based polymer (Mater-Bi), and PLA-flax composites. It hypothesized that can alter – either speed up or slow down in plastics depending on specific species polymer. brought about by soil burial over 56 days. First, alone without any effects burial. Second, were terms biodegradation. results showed RO increased degree crystallinity (+100%) Young’s modulus (+14%) PLA. For Mater-Bi, decreased strength 22% led brittleness (56% lower ultimate strain) specimens. After days burial, presence PLA found degradation when compared pure (the decrease 9.3% 6.6%, respectively). blending 2.1% slower during RO, affecting biodegradation, comparable flax-reinforced non-reinforced fiber-matrix bonding remained equal for RO-impregnated fibers as-received flax fibers.