Abstract
This paper presents a thorough investigation of the continuous extrusion foaming of amorphous poly(lactic acid) (PLA) using carbon dioxide (CO2) as the blowing agent. Detailed results describing the plasticization induced by CO2 dissolution as measured from two different methods, on-line rheometry and in-line ultrasonic technique, are given. Characteristics of the foams obtained from extrusion performed under various processing conditions are also reported. Extrusion of PLA foams in the 20–25 kg/m3 density range was achieved. However, the associated processing window was very narrow: CO2 content lower than ca. 7 wt% did not lead to significant foam expansion while foams blown at CO2 contents larger than 8.3 wt% showed severe shrinkage upon ageing.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
