Rice Straw and Cornstarch Biodegradable Composites

The main goal of this work was to use rice straw (RS) in the production of environmentally sound composites using corn based adhesives (CA). Treatments of RS with NaOH and hot-water were undertaken to evaluate the effect of such treatments on the performance of produced composites. The influence of composite density and starch content on properties of composites was also investigated. The microstructure of fractured surfaces was further observed. Results showed that cornstarch based composites had higher flexural strength. Composites made from hot-water treated straw and cornstarch had better interface and higher flexural strength, and flexural strength reached peak values at starch content of 10% and composite density of 0.7 g/cm3. Composites made from non-treated straw and cornstarch had lower moisture absorption. Moisture absorption was increasing with starch content increasing and density decreasing. The composites developed from this work may have potential application for ceiling panels and bulletin boards.