Abstract
This work aims to provide an extensive evaluation on the use of polylactic acid (PLA) as a green, biodegradable thermal insulation material. The PLA was processed by melt extrusion followed by compression molding and then subjected to different annealing conditions. Afterwards, the thermal insulation properties and structural capacity of the PLA were characterized. Increasing the annealing time of PLA in the range of 0–24 h led to a considerable increase in the degree of crystallization, which had a direct impact on the thermal conductivity, density, and glass transition temperature. The thermal conductivity of PLA increased from 0.0643 for quickly-cooled samples to 0.0904 for the samples annealed for 24 h, while the glass transition temperature increased by approximately 11.33% to reach 59.0 °C. Moreover, the annealing process substantially improved the compressive strength and rigidity of the PLA and reduced its ductility. The results revealed that annealing PLA for 1–3 h at 90 °C produces an optimum thermal insulation material. The low thermal conductivity (0.0798–0.0865 ), low density (~1233 ), very low water retention (<0.19%) and high compressive strength (97.2–98.7 MPa) in this annealing time range are very promising to introduce PLA as a green insulation material.
Highlights
Biodegradable materials have attracted much attention from researchers due to the pressing need to reduce enduring waste worldwide
The effect of the annealing conditions on the thermal insulation and mechanical properties of the biopolymer polylactic acid (PLA) processed with a melt extruder and shaped in a compression molding properties of the biopolymer PLA processed with a melt extruder and shaped in a compression system was reported
Increasing the annealing time in the range of 0–24 h led to a significant in the degree of crystallization, which had a direct effect on the thermal conductivity, density, and glass increase in the degree of crystallization, which had a direct effect on the thermal conductivity, transition temperature
Summary
Biodegradable materials have attracted much attention from researchers due to the pressing need to reduce enduring waste worldwide. Biodegradable polymers have received the most attention [1]. They are classified into three groups based on their sources: natural, semi-synthetic, and synthetic. Most biodegradable polymers are obtained from renewable sources such as starch. Aliphatic and mixed aliphatic/aromatic polyesters or polysaccharides (cellulose and its derivatives) are the most widely studied biodegradable polymers [2]. With depleting fossil-based raw materials for conventional polymers, biodegradable polymers provide an alternative with improved functional properties [3]. The biodegradability feature offers a real solution of municipal waste management issue
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