Abstract

ABSTRACTDue to environmental problems and the increasing waste of resources, sustainable biodegradable plastics has become a great topic worldwide. In this communique, we present a simple low‐cost synthesis to improve one of these typically used materials, PLA (polylactic acid). CaF2 nanoparticles synthesized according the fluorolytic sol–gel synthesis in lactic acid give access to fine tune the material characteristics of LMPLA (low‐molecular polylactic acid) due to a simply to apply polycondensation reaction of lactic acid monomers. Thus, for the first time, homo dispersed CaF2 up to 15 wt % in PLA is synthesized as cubic nanomaterial improving the characteristics of a subsequently formed thermoplastic in comparison with a polycondensed PLA reference material. A detailed characterization of the synthesized material is provided by using X‐ray imaging, TEM, 19F MAS NMR, (sol) XRD, MALDI‐TOF, and nanoindentation. The results reveal a promising first step of a modification opportunity of LMPLA regarding melting point, elastic modulus, and hardness. This way it is possible to adjust material characteristics in a simple and inexpensive way, which might broaden the field of possible applications and make biodegradable plastics a more competitive alternative to conventional used ones. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47875.

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 call

Disclaimer: 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.