Numerical simulation of poly(lactic acid) polymeric composites reinforced with nanofibrillated cellulose for industrial applications

Abstract

The advancement of biodegradable polymer application is increasingly growing through various combinations with other materials. There is a great expectation on how the use of those new materials can be expanded not only as a replacement for polymers of fossil origin but also in the replacement of metallic materials. Thus, this work presents the use of numerical simulations as a tool to evaluate and reengineer the application of a biodegradable composite constituted by nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA), in the construction of mechanical components. The academic and industrial interest of this work led to a case study using the finite element analysis (FEA) and the composites produced, where it was evaluated the technical feasibility of replacing a mechanical component constructed with 1060 H12 aluminum alloy.