Abstract
This work reports on the design and development of nanocomposites based on a polymeric matrix containing biodegradable Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) coated with either Graphite NanoPlatelets (GNP) or silver nanoparticles (AgNP). Nanocomposites were obtained by mechanical mixing under mild conditions and low load contents (<0.10 wt %). This favours physical adhesion of the additives onto the polymer surface, while the polymeric bulk matrix remains unaffected. Nanocomposite characterisation was performed via optical and focused ion beam microscopy, proving these nanocomposites are selectively modified only on the surface, leaving bulk polymer unaffected. Processability of these materials was proven by the fabrication of samples via injection moulding and mechanical characterisation. Nanocomposites showed enhanced Young modulus and yield strength, as well as better thermal properties when compared with the unmodified polymer. In the case of AgNP coated nanocomposites, the surface was found to be optically active, as observed in the increase of the resolution of Raman spectra, acquired at least 10 times, proving these nanocomposites are promising candidates as surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates.
Highlights
Design of polymer nanocomposites by adding nano-sized particles has been widely performed since the early 1990s [1] in order to obtain new materials with enhanced mechanical, electrical, optical, thermal or magnetic properties using low amounts of loadings [2].Nanocomposites are solid structures composed of at least two elements or phases where one has at least one feature in the nanometer scale (1–100 nm)
The pellet size did not seem to vary after the milling procedure
No significant differences were observed by optical microscopy. These results suggest that process process is not strong to up pellets, but energy transmitted is high enough milling up toenough minstrong to grind check if the longer timesup led toPLA/PHA
Summary
Design of polymer nanocomposites by adding nano-sized particles has been widely performed since the early 1990s [1] in order to obtain new materials with enhanced mechanical, electrical, optical, thermal or magnetic properties using low amounts of loadings (typically up to 10 wt %) [2].Nanocomposites are solid structures composed of at least two elements or phases where one has at least one feature in the nanometer scale (1–100 nm). Design of polymer nanocomposites by adding nano-sized particles has been widely performed since the early 1990s [1] in order to obtain new materials with enhanced mechanical, electrical, optical, thermal or magnetic properties using low amounts of loadings (typically up to 10 wt %) [2]. Increase in the interface between nanofiller and polymer matrix enhances mechanical properties [3], while thermal or electric properties are dramatically. Polymer nanocomposites consist of an organic continuous matrix (typically a commodity polymer) and one or more nanofillers. These nanofillers include silicates [5], nanocellulose crystals [6], metal-based nanoparticles [7] or carbon-based nanocomponents such as graphene or carbon nanotubes [8,9].
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