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California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Polymer and Organic Materials

Cactus

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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Soil Degradation Of A Plastic Blend Of Opuntia Ficusindica Juice, Animal Protein And Beeswax, Isabel A. Gamez, Daniel R. Kava Jun 2022

Soil Degradation Of A Plastic Blend Of Opuntia Ficusindica Juice, Animal Protein And Beeswax, Isabel A. Gamez, Daniel R. Kava

Materials Engineering

Since the introduction of single use plastics in the early 1900s, their usage has increased exponentially. Unfortunately, due to this exponential increase there are negative environmental implications of their production, which requires further consideration. Currently, there are various waste disposal practices for SUPs, including landfilling, incineration, and recycling. Recent data revealed that only 14 % of plastic waste was recycled, with 40% of plastic waste being landfilled, while the rest of the plastic waste was incinerated or released to the environment at 14 % and 32 %, respectively. A potential solution to the plastic waste issue is developing a polymer …


An Investigation Of Arabinan And Cellulose Based Nano-Composite Fabrication Methods, Marianne Smithfield, Carl Petterson, Robert Miller Jun 2013

An Investigation Of Arabinan And Cellulose Based Nano-Composite Fabrication Methods, Marianne Smithfield, Carl Petterson, Robert Miller

Materials Engineering

Microcrystalline cellulose was converted into nanocrystalline cellulose via an acid hydrolysis procedure. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to measure the particle size and thus the effectiveness of acid hydrolysis. The nanocrystalline cellulose was poured through a 0.2μm filter to isolate the particles of ideal size. The nanocrystalline cellulose samples were stored in dimethylformamide (DMF) to prevent mold growth and agglomeration upon drying. Numerous composite samples were created by dissolving the arabinan in a solvent, suspending cellulose in the arabinan solution, and then drying the sample. Casting was performed in a silicon mold to allow sample removal without damage. Initial …