| Abstract: | The acetone-soluble lignin fraction (ASLF) of sugar cane bagasse, from a sugar and alcohol factory residue, was obtained after extraction with formic acid and used to prepare blends with poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) by casting. PVAc and ASLF/PVAc blends were irradiated with ultraviolet light (Hg lamp). Blend formation and the irradiation effects were examined through thermal analysis (TG and DSC), scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The DSC results show PVAc glass transition temperature (T g) shifts because of both, irradiation and ASLF incorporation. Non-irradiated pure PVAc presented a smooth surface, while after UV irradiation, light surface spots are observed. ASLF/PVAc 10/90 and 5/95 blends did not exhibit differences before and after UV irradiation, suggesting that lignin protects PVAc from photochemical degradation. |
