Modification of the Properties of Polymer Composites in a Constant Magnetic Field Environment

Abstract

In this paper, polymer composites based on polylactide (PLA) and epoxy resin (Epidian 5) were studied in terms of the influence of magnetic induction on their changes in physicochemical properties. The composites contained admixtures in the form of magnetite (Fe3O4) and crystalline cellulose (Avicel PH-1010) in the amount of 10%, 20%, and 30% by weight and starch in the amount of 10%. The admixtures of cellulose and starch were intended to result in the composites becoming biodegradable biopolymers to some extent. Changes in physical and chemical properties due to the impact of a constant magnetic field with a magnetic induction value B = 0.5 T were observed. The changes were observed during tests of tensile strength, bending, impact strength, water absorbency, frost resistance, chemical resistance to acids and bases, as well as through SEM microscopy and with studies of the composition of the composites that use the EDS method and of their structure with the XRD method. Based on the obtained results, it was found that the magnetic induction value changes the properties of composites. This therefore acts as one method of receiving new alternative materials, the degradation of which in the environment would take far less time.