Pectin Essay

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Pectin is a complicated branched structure of acidic structural polysaccharides, established in fruits and bast fibers. Most of the structure consists of homopolymeric partially methylated poly-α-(1-4)-D-galacturonic acid residues, but there are substantial 'hairy' non-gelling areas of alternating α-(1-2)-L-rhamnosyl-α-(1-4)-Dgalacturonosyl sections containing branch-points with mostly neutral side chains (1-20 residues) of mainly L-arabinose and D-galactose (rhamnogalacturonan-I). Pectin is the most hydrophilic compound in plant fibres due to the carboxylic acid groups and is easily degraded by defibration with fungi [27]. Pectin along with lignin and hemicelluloses present in natural fibres can be hydrolysed at elevated temperatures.
Many …show more content…

Products like tufnol which is made from cotton fibres and epoxy resin, have been available for some time, having good stiffness and strength [35]. In the last few years there has been renewed interest in these products for use in automotive applications [36]. To achieve reinforcing effects in composites it is necessary to have good adhesion between the fibres and resins. Epoxy and phenolic thermosetting resins are known to be able to form covalent cross-links with plant cell walls via -OH groups [37]. Composite manufacture can be achieved using low viscosity epoxy and phenolic resins that cure at room temperature. In addition epoxy resin does not produce volatile products during curing which is most desirable in production of void free composites. Therefore, although epoxy resins are relatively more expensive than polyester, they have potential for the development of high added value plant fiber composites, where long fibres at a high content are …show more content…

These resins generally are prepared by reacting to a polyfunctional amine or phenol with epichlorohydrin in the presence of a strong base. The commercially available diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA), Figure-2.4, is characterized by epoxy equivalent weight, which can be determined either by titration or quantitative infrared spectroscopy. The presence of glycidyl units in these resins enhances the processability but reduces thermal resistance.
The most widely used curing agents for epoxy resins are primary and secondary amines. The overall reaction rate of an amine with an epoxide is influenced by the steric hindrance and the electron withdrawing or electron donating groups present in the amine
1. Epoxy groups are rearranged and form direct linkages between themselves.
2. Aromatic and aliphatic -OHs link up to the epoxy groups.
3. Cross-linking takes place with the curing agent through various radical

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