Reinforcement of Polylactic Acid for Fused Deposition Modeling Process with Nano Particles Treated Bamboo Powder.

Cuicui Wang,Sheldon Q Shi,Ge Wang,Mingpeng Li,Wenfu Zhang,Lee Miller Smith,Haitao Cheng,Shuangbao Zhang

doi:10.3390/polym11071146

Abstract

The focus of this report was to understand the tensile properties and dynamic mechanical properties of bamboo powder (BP) reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) composite filaments which were treated with nano calcium carbonate (CaCO3), cellulose nanofibers (CNF), and micro-crystalline cellulose (MCC) using impregnation modification technology. The storage modulus (E’) of nano CaCO3-BP/PLA, MCC-BP/PLA, and CNF-BP/PLA composite filaments increased compared with BP/PLA composite filaments before the glass transition temperature Tg. When the temperature was above Tg, the reinforcement effect of nano CaCO3, MCC, and CNF gradually became less apparent. The loss modulus (E’’) and loss factor (tan δmax) of the nano CaCO3-BP/PLA, MCC-BP/PLA, and CNF-BP/PLA composite filaments was higher than that of BP/PLA composite filaments produced by the “one-step” method. The tensile strength (TS) results showed a similar trend. Compared with the control samples, the TS of nano CaCO3-BP/PLA, MCC-BP/PLA, and CNF-BP/PLA composite filaments produced by the “one-step” method (and the “two-step” method) increased by 40.33% (and 10.10%), 32.35% (and −8.61%), and 12.32% (and −12.85%), respectively. The TS of nano CaCO3-BP/PLA, MCC-BP/PLA, and CNF-BP/PLA composite filaments produced by the “one-step” method was slightly higher than those produced by the “two-step” method. The elongation at break (EAB) of BP/PLA composite filaments was higher than that of BP/PLA samples treated with nano CaCO3, MCC, or CNF. The PLA and modified BP were readily accessible through a simple mixing process. The rheological investigation of such mixtures showed that nano CaCO3, CNF, and MCC have different effects on the processability and rheological properties of composites.

Highlights

Natural fibers are renewable materials that are derived abundant sustainable resources, which can be isolated, treated, and functionalized for a multitude of applications, for instance, polymeric matrix composites [1], etc.In polymeric matrix composites, natural fibers as a reinforcing phase, provide positive environmental benefits with respect to ultimate disposability and raw material use [2]
Interfacial bonding between the reinforcement and matrix plays a vital role in determining the mechanical properties of the composites and the interfacial interactions of the composites can be reflected by rheology tests
The TM of all the polymers rose sharply and was followed by a general decrease, which is because the energy input reached a maximum value and the degradation of polymer reduced the viscosity during polymer melting and mixing process

Summary

Introduction

Natural fibers are renewable materials that are derived abundant sustainable resources (e.g., bamboo, cotton, flax, hemp, jute, kenaf, sisal, ramie, pineapple, coir, etc.), which can be isolated, treated, and functionalized for a multitude of applications, for instance, polymeric matrix composites [1], etc. Natural fibers as a reinforcing phase, provide positive environmental benefits with respect to ultimate disposability and raw material use [2]. Natural fiber reinforced polymer composites have seen. Polymers 2019, 11, 1146 wide use in many industries including automotive, aerospace, electronics, construction, and interior decoration [4,5]. Natural fiber reinforced polymer composites are used only to a limited extent in industrial practice, because the inherent polar and hydrophilic nature of natural fiber and the nonpolar performance of thermoplastics polymer, which leads to difficulties in compounding the reinforcement and the matrix. The acceptable dispersion levels and the effective composite materials cannot be obtained

Methods

Results

Conclusion