JOURNAL OF CHILEAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

Vol 71 No 2 (2026): Journal of The Chilean Chemical Society - 2nd Special Issue in Tribute to Professor Mario Silva (In Memoriam)
Original Research Papers

EXPLORING THE USE FORESTRY BY-PRODUCTS IN RUBBER TECHNOLOGY: EFFECT ON THE MECHANICAL AND BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF PINUS RADIATA SAWDUST ON NATURAL RUBBER-BASED COMPOSITES

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  • HECTOR AGUILAR,
  • A. BASCUÑÁN-HEREDIA,
  • H. HERNÁNDEZ-VILLAR,
  • C. PEREZ-MANRIQUEZ,
  • J. BECERRA,
  • H. AGUILAR-BOLADOS
HECTOR AGUILAR
UDEC
Published September 22, 2026
Keywords
  • Natural Rubber,
  • Pinus radiata
How to Cite
AGUILAR, H., BASCUÑÁN-HEREDIA, A., HERNÁNDEZ-VILLAR, H., PEREZ-MANRIQUEZ, C., BECERRA, J., & AGUILAR-BOLADOS, H. (2026). EXPLORING THE USE FORESTRY BY-PRODUCTS IN RUBBER TECHNOLOGY: EFFECT ON THE MECHANICAL AND BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF PINUS RADIATA SAWDUST ON NATURAL RUBBER-BASED COMPOSITES. Journal of the Chilean Chemical Society, 71(2), 6548-6557. Retrieved from https://www.jcchems.com/index.php/JCCHEMS/article/view/3117

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Abstract

Natural rubber (NR) is an essential material due to its diverse properties and applications. Although combining it with synthetic fillers improves the mechanical and physical properties of the compounds, the use of these synthetic reinforcements causes environmental problems due to their toxicity, high carbon footprint (CF), and low microbial susceptibility. This study aims to produce bio-based NR compounds using wood flour (WF, 150-300 μm), a byproduct of the forest industry, as a renewable filler. The effect of different WF contents (in phr) on the physical and mechanical properties of the compounds was investigated. A life cycle assessment (LCA) revealed that incorporating WF significantly reduces environmental impact. The carbon footprint decreases monotonically with increasing WF content, showing a clear dose-response relationship. Without considering biogenic carbon, the reduction is up to 25%. When biogenic carbon storage is included, the relative CF reduction reaches 132.4% for the 80 phr compound compared to the baseline (0 phr). Additionally, polyethylene glycol (PEG) into compounds with high WF content (80 phr) improved their resilience, water absorption, and max. elongation. Biodegradation tests with white rot fungi on compounds with 80 phr showed a maximum mass loss of only 2.29% after 50 days in vitro. Chemical and SEM characterization confirmed changes in chemical groups of wood, by degradation of lignin. NR and NR/WF composites showed signs of damage on surface microstructure. For instance, these biocomposites achieve certain resistance to fungal degradation even at high filler contents being promising for medium and long-term applications as a replacement for elastomers or synthetic foams. The results confirm that NR-WF compounds are promising and sustainable alternatives, combining improved hardness and elongation with a drastic reduction in carbon footprint and biodegradation potential.

 

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