A solid state NMR carbon-13 high resolution study of natural fiber from sugar cane and their composites with EVA

Natural fibers obtained from sugar cane have been analysed by carbon-13 hig h resolution solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) employing differe nt techniques such as: cross-polarisation magic angle spinning (CP/MAS); va riable contact time experiment and proton spin-lattice relaxation time in t he rotating frame. Molecular mobility information for distinct types of sug ar cane fibers, as well as two different mixtures (one of the mixtures cont ains equal amounts of waste fibers and the other has a random distribution of these waste fibers) and their composites with poly(ethylene-co-vinyl ace tate) (EVA) were obtained from those techniques. Mechanical measurements (s tress-strain) were also recorded for all samples. Both NMR and mechanical m easurements responses showed that the mixtures of natural fiber can be used as a matrix in the composites. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights r eserved.