RT journal article
T1 Chitin nanocrystals as bio-based adhesives for the development of sustainable cork composites
A1 García Laynez,  María del Carmen
A1 Herrera Collado, Miriam
A1 Molina Rubio, Sergio Ignacio
A1 Sanz de León, Alberto
A1 García Laynez,  María del Carmen
A2 Ciencia de los Materiales e Ingeniería Metalúrgica y Química Inorgánica
K1 Chitin nanocrystals
K1 Cork
K1 Agrowaste valorization
K1 Mechanical properties
K1 Composites
K1 Bio-based materials
AB In this work, we demonstrate the potential of chitin nanocrystals (ChNCs), a sustainable and biobased nanomaterial, as an adhesive for valorizing cork waste and fabricating fully biobased composites through compression molding. SEM and XCT analyses confirmed that, when used at concentrations below 30 wt.%, ChNCs integrate homogeneously with cork by adhering uniformly to the cork cell walls, preserving its low density and inherent flexibility. Notably, composites containing 20 wt.% of ChNCs achieved superior mechanical properties (i.e. flexibility, strength and toughness) compared to composites with paraffin over a broad concentration range (5–70 wt.%). Unlike paraffin, which increases density by filling the cork cells, ChNCs maintain the porous structure while significantly enhancing compressive performance. These findings highlight the exceptional adhesive and reinforcing capabilities of ChNCs, paving the way for their use as a natural binder in developing sustainable cork composites and extending this approach to other agrowaste materials.
PB Elsevier
SN 2666-8939
YR 2025
FD 2025-03
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/37909
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/37909
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 21-sep-2026