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Bagasse – Phenolic resin

Bagasse is the fibrous matter that remains after sugarcane or
sorghum stalks are crushed to extract their juice.
Chemical composition of Bagasse
A typical chemical analysis of washed and dried bagasse might
show:
Cellulose 45–55 percent
Hemicellulose 20–25 percent
Lignin 18–24 percent
Ash 1–4 percent
Waxes <1 percent
The potential applications of bagasse – phenolic resin composites
in home and commercial building are wall panels, ceiling, roofing,
and flooring. The bagasse-phenolic composite that we are going
to do is a strong, durable, heat and moisture resistant, rigid,
insulating, lightweight, and easily transportable.
THE PROCESS OF PRODUCING THE BAGASSE-PHENOLIC
COMPOSITE
Phenolic resins are widely due to their lower cost as compared
with many other high performance resin, superior fire resistance
compared to other thermosetting polymers such as polyesters
and epoxies. They also exhibit excellent dimensional stability,
thermal stability, chemical resistance, and low‐bearing capability
at elevated temperature.
Humidity content will be determined by determining the
percentage difference between the initial weights of the sample
after 4 h drying, at 105 °C.
For α‐cellulose content determination, sodium hydroxide solution
(10 mL, 17.5%) was added to cellulose (1.0 g) in 2 min at room
temperature. Then, the mixture was triturated (grind to a fine
powder) for 8 min and sodium hydroxide (10 mL, 17.5%) was
added to the mixture which remains in rest for 20 min. Then,
water (40 mL) was added and the solid residue was filtered and
washed exhaustively with aqueous acetic acid and water. This
remaining solid, considered as α‐cellulose, was dried at 40 °C, in a
vacuum stove, until constant weight.
The sugar cane fibers, extracted with ethanol for 48h and then
with water for 24h. The fibers were dried in an air‐circulated stove
(60 °C) until constant weight. The fibers were extracted with
cyclohexane/ethanol to remove waxes and natural resins. The
presence of these materials on the fiber surface can weaken the
interactions at the interface fiber matrix. Oxidation of fibers (10 g)
was performed with sodium periodate (NaIO4) (0.2 g) in water (90
mL) at pH = 3, for 1 h at 55 °C. After reaction, the fibers, which
turned red, were washed with water until neutrality.
To a 4‐propylguaiacol (0.015 g, 0.09 mmol) water solution (4 mL)
is added solid sodium periodate (0.096 g, 0.45 mmol). The
mixture, turning red, is stirred for 15 min at room temperature,
then the solution is extracted with dichloromethane. The organic
layer is washed with water and evaporated at room temperature
under vacuum, giving the expected quinone GQ in quantitative
yield.
Phenolic pre‐polymer is synthesized by mixing phenol,
formaldehyde (37%), and potassium hydroxide (1.38:1.00:0.06%)
under mechanical stirring at 70 °C for 1 h. Then, the solution was
cooled to room temperature, water eliminated under reduced
pressure, and the mixture neutralized with concentrated
hydrochloric acid.
Thermoset materials is obtained by mixing the pre‐polymer with
resorcinol, the curing accelerator (10:1, w/w) through mechanical
stirring at 50 °C for 30 min. The compression molding was carried
out in a mold (220 × 99.5 × 5 mm) under pressure.
Composites reinforced with bagasse fibers (chemically modified
or unmodified) were obtained by adding the fibers (18 g) to the
pre‐polymers (102 g), the mixture being submitted to mechanical
stirring (30 min, 50 °C)