Abstract
PLA nanocomposites with stearate coated precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) and halloysite natural nanotubes (HNT) were prepared by melt extrusion. The crystallization behavior, mechanical properties, thermal dynamical mechanical analysis (DMTA), and the morphology of the PCC/PLA, HNT/PLA, and HNT/PCC/PLA composites were discussed. Compared to halloysite nanotubes, PCC nanoparticles showed a better nucleating effect, which decreased both the glass transition and cold crystallization temperatures. The tensile performance of PLA composites showed that the addition of inorganic nanofillers increased Young’s modulus but decreased tensile strength. More interestingly, PLA composites with PCC particles exhibited an effectively increased elongation at break with respect to pure PLA, while HNT/PLA showed a decreased ultimate deformation of composites. DMTA results indicated that PLA composites had a similar storage modulus at temperatures below the glass transition and the addition of nanofillers into PLA caused Tg to shift to lower temperatures by about 3°C. The morphological analysis of fractures surface of PLA nanocomposites showed good dispersion of nanofillers, formation of microvoids, and larger plastic deformation of the PLA matrix when the PCC particles were added, while a strong aggregation was noticed in composites with HNT nanofillers, which has been attributed to a nonoptimal surface coating.
Highlights
PLA polymer is a biodegradable thermoplastic derived from a renewable resource [1,2,3]
PLA composites with precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) particles exhibited an effectively increased elongation at break with respect to pure PLA, while halloysite natural nanotubes (HNT)/PLA showed a decreased ultimate deformation of composites
PLA composites with PCC and HNT nanotubes were compared in this study
Summary
PLA polymer is a biodegradable thermoplastic derived from a renewable resource [1,2,3]. PLA polymer has received much attention as alternative to petrochemical plastics and because of its high strength and stiffness, biocompatibility, and thermal processability. The most extensively used methodology to improve PLA properties is to blend PLA with different plasticizers and (biodegradable or nonbiodegradable) polymers. Rigid nanoparticles can substantially improve toughness more efficiently than rubber particles, when a good dispersion is achieved, since both stiffness and toughness can be balanced [11, 12]. The properties of this biodegradable PLA might be enhanced by the incorporation of nanoscale reinforcements as reported in the literature
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