Abstract
Biodegradable PLA foams are in great demand in many fields such as packaging and construction. However, foaming ability of PLA is confined by its poor melt viscoelasticity. To address this problem, a naturally formed nanofiller, halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were added. By adding HNTs, foaming window of PLA was successfully extended. The compressive performance and thermal conductivities of the obtained foams were investigated. It could be seen that the PLA/HNTs composite foam with an expansion ratio of 19.2 folds exhibited the lowest thermal conductivity 34.29 mW/(m·K). The compressive modulus increased from 3.6 to 11.8 MPa with the increase of mass fraction of HNTs from 0 to 5 wt%. To further improve the compressive performance of foams, an annealing process was conducted. After annealing, compressive modulus of pure PLA foam almost doubled because of the increased crystallinity. Vicat softening temperature of annealed foams also increased by about 5 °C.
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.
