Properties Enhancement of High Molecular Weight Polylactide Using Stereocomplex Polylactide as a Nucleating Agent.

Purba Purnama,Ihsan Iswaldi,Muhammad Samsuri

doi:10.3390/polym13111725

Purba Purnama, Ihsan Iswaldi + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13111725

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Abstract

As one of the most attractive biopolymers nowadays in terms of their sustainability, degradability, and material tune-ability, the improvement of polylactide (PLA) homopolymer properties by studying the utilization of stereocomplex polylactide (s-PLA) effectively and efficiently is needed. In this sense, we have studied the utilization of s-PLA compared to poly D-lactide (PDLA) homopolymers as a nucleating agent for PLA homopolymers. The mechanical and thermal properties and crystallization behavior of PLA homopolymers in the presence of nucleating agents have been evaluated using a universal testing machine, differential scanning calorimeter, and X-ray diffractometer instruments, respectively. PDLA and s-PLA materials can be used to increase the thermal and mechanical properties of poly L-lactide (PLLA) homopolymers. The s-PLA materials increased the mechanical properties by increasing crystallinity of the PLLA homopolymers. PLLA/s-PLA enhanced mechanical properties to a certain level (5% s-PLA content), then decreased them due to higher s-PLA materials affecting the brittleness of the blends. PDLA homopolymers increased mechanical properties by forming stereocomplex PLA with PLLA homopolymers. Non-isothermal and isothermal evaluation showed that s-PLA materials were more effective at enhancing PLLA homopolymer properties through nucleating agent mechanism.

Highlights

The development of future materials is focused on their sustainability, degradability, and material tune-ability
We report the use of real stereocomplex polylactide (s-PLA) materials to evaluate the nucleating effect of poly L-lactide (PLLA) homopolymers compared to poly D-lactide (PDLA) as a nucleating agent
The synthesized s-PLA crystalline shows a single peak at ~12◦ of 2θ compared with PLLA and PDLA at ~17◦ and 19◦ of 2θ which indicates the change of crystal structure and helical conformation of PLLA and PDLA driven by hydrogen bonding interactions

Summary

Introduction

The development of future materials is focused on their sustainability, degradability, and material tune-ability. Sustainability is an important parameter to ensure material resources will have a long life. Material tune-ability is a specific characteristic, which refers to the ability to alter and adjust the properties of the material to suit existing applications. Degradability is related to the environmental issues caused by material waste. Environmental problems receive more attention to recycle or develop the non-degradable material. Accumulation of non-degradable waste from the high consumption of fossil fuels-based materials in various applications causes tremendous environmental problems. Many researchers have focused on the development and modification of the physical–mechanical properties of biodegradable polymers to substitute these for traditional polymers

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