Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Animal-based biomass is gaining increasing attention in composites technology as a sustainable alternative to conventional fillers, offering a green pathway in the generation of composites exhibiting improved performance via waste valorization. In the present study, carbonized sheep wool was incorporated into high-density polyethylene (HDPE) in various weight ratios up to 10% wt. to fabricate composite specimens. The resulting composites were evaluated through Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), while their morphology and chemical structure were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) combined with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. FTIR analysis revealed the presence of residual keratin-derived oxygen- and nitrogen-containing functional groups, indicating the retention of chemically active surface functionalities upon low-temperature carbonization. This evidence is further corroborated through qualitative (SEM-EDS) elemental mapping of the pristine surfaces of sheep wool fibers and the pyrolyzed biochar product. DMA experimental data demonstrated that sheep wool-derived biochar (SWB) can effectively reinforce HDPE, resulting in stiffness enhancement while reducing viscous dissipation, thereby highlighting its potential as a sustainable, eco-friendly filler and a viable pathway for circular valorization of animal biomass waste.
DOI: 10.3390/jmmp10070224
Institution: University of Cyprus
Language: English
Subfield: Polymers and Plastics
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,172
OpenAlex ID: W7166527865