New polylactide-layered silicate nanocomposites. 2. Concurrent improvements of material properties, biodegradability and melt rheology

Suprakas Sinha Ray, Kazunobu Yamada, Masami Okamoto, Kazue Ueda

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

475 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Our continuing research on the preparation, characterization, materials properties, and biodegradability of polylactide (PLA)-layered silicate nanocomposites has yielded results for PLA-montmorillonite nanocomposites. Montmorillonite modified with trimethyl octadecylammonium cation was used as an organically modified layered silicate for the nanocomposites preparation. The internal structure of the nanocomposites in the nanometer range has been established by using wide-angle X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope analyses. All the nanocomposites exhibited superior improvement of practical materials properties such as storage modulus, flexural modulus, flexural strength, heat distortion temperature, and gas barrier property as compared to that of neat PLA. The biodegradability of neat PLA and a representative nanocomposite was also studied under compost, and the rate of biodegradation of neat PLA significantly increased after nanocomposites preparation. The melt rheology of neat PLA and various PLACNs was also studied.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)857-866
Number of pages10
JournalPolymer
Volume44
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 20 Dec 2002
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Biodegradability
  • Materials properties
  • Polylactide-layered silicate nanocomposites

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Organic Chemistry
  • Polymers and Plastics
  • Materials Chemistry

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