Thermorheological properties of poly (ε‐caprolactone)/polylactide blends

Blends of poly (ε‐caprolactone) (PCL)/polylactide (PLA) were prepared by solution‐casting method to study their thermal and rheological properties. Differential scanning calorimetry thermographs have shown two separate melting peaks in the blends, which are indicative of immiscible structure at all compositions. Scanning electron microscopy images show droplet morphology of PCL into PLA matrix up to 40 wt% of PCL. Above this concentration, the co‐continuous morphology starts to appear, which becomes again droplet morphology for blends with concentration of PCL higher than about 60 wt%. The viscoelastic properties of the various blends were investigated using rotational rheometry. The enhancement of the elastic modulus of blends at small frequencies at which terminal zone behavior is expected, is a signature behavior of immiscible systems due to the presence of interface and contribution to the stress from interfacial tension. Two emulsion models were used to predict the viscoelastic properties of the blends from the corresponding properties of their pure components that led to the determination of the interfacial tension of PCL/PLA in agreement with experimental findings. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

不同分子量PCL增韧PLA的结构与性能

采用两种不同分子量的聚(ε-己内酯)(PCL)(粘均分子量60 000和3 000)与聚乳酸(PLA)在175℃下共混10 min制备PLA/PCL共混物。通过动态流变、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)和力学性能等研究了PLA/PCL共混物的结构和性能。动态流变显示,在PCL低含量(质量分数小于15%)时,PCL与PLA是相容的,质量分数为15%时PCL与PLA表现出明显的相分离行为。SEM显示,随着PCL含量的增加,PCL相的尺寸变大;低分子量PCL(L-PCL)的相尺寸明显大于高分子量PCL(H-PCL),而且相形态不是规则的球状。随着PCL含量的增加,共混物的拉伸强度下降,而断裂伸长率增加。当H-PCL质量分数为8.3%时,PLA/H-PCL共混物的断裂伸长率为137.32%。当H-PCL质量分数为15%时,其断裂伸长率高达232.76%。在添加相同含量PCL时,PLA/H-PCL共混物的拉伸强度高于PLA/L-PCL;而PCL质量分数8%时,共混物的断裂伸长率相差不多,当PCL质量分数大于8%时,PLA/H-PCL共混物的断裂伸长率明显比PLA/L-PCL共混物的高。     

Microcellular injection molded polylactic acid/poly (ε‐caprolactone) blends with supercritical CO2: Correlation between rheological properties and their foaming behavior

A systematic study on the rheological properties helps to identify suitable processing and compositional windows for foaming polylactic Acid (PLA)/poly ε‐Caprolactone)(PCL) blends. In this article, the correlation between the rheological behavior, the blend morphology, as well as the resultant cellular structure of microcellular injection molded PLA/PCL blends was investigated. The addition of PCL had a significant effect on the storage modulus of PLA melts. With increasing the PCL content (less than 30%), the storage modulus increased due to the entanglement of polymer chains. The enhancement on their complex viscosities led to a better foaming behavior and pore microstructure. Porous structures with enhanced pore uniformity, decreased cell size, and higher cell density were observed in the PLA/PCL (70:30) specimens. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 56:939–946, 2016. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Biodegradable and functionally superior starch–polyester nanocomposites from reactive extrusion

Biodegradable starch‐polyester polymer composites are useful in many applications ranging from numerous packaging end‐uses to tissue engineering. However the amount of starch that can form composites with polyesters without significant property deterioration is typically less than 25% because of thermodynamic immiscibility between the two polymers. We have developed a reactive extrusion process in which high amounts of starch (approx. 40 wt%) can be blended with a biodegradable polyester (polycaprolactone, PCL) resulting in tough nanocomposite blends with elongational properties approaching that of 100% PCL. We hypothesize that starch was oxidized and then crosslinked with PCL in the presence of an oxidizing/crosslinking agent and modified montmorillonite (MMT) organoclay, thus compatibilizing the two polymers. Starch, PCL, plasticizer, MMT organoclay, oxidizing/crosslinking agent and catalysts were extruded in a co‐rotating twin‐screw extruder and injection molded at 120° C. Elongational properties of reactively extruded starch‐PCL nanocomposite blends approached that of 100% PCL at 3 and 6 wt% organoclay. Strength and modulus remained the same as starch‐PCL composites prepared from simple physical mixing without any crosslinking. X‐ray diffraction results showed mainly intercalated flocculated behavior of clay at 1,3,6, and 9wt% organoclay. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that there was improved starch‐PCL interfacial adhesion in reactively extruded blends with crosslinking than in starch‐PCL composites without crosslinking. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed changes in primary α‐transition temperatures for both the starch and PCL fractions, reflecting crosslinking changes in the nanocomposite blends at different organoclay contents. Also starch‐polytetramethylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate (PAT) blends prepared by the above reactive extrusion process showed the same trend of elongational properties approaching that of 100% PAT. The reactive extrusion concept can be extended to other starch‐PCL like polymer blends with polymers like polyvinyl alcohol on one side and polybutylene succinate, polyhydroxy butyrate‐valerate and polylactic acid on the other to create cheap, novel and compatible biodegradable polymer blends with increased toughness. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 1072–1082, 2005     

Improvement of microstructures and properties of poly(lactic acid)/poly(ε‐caprolactone) blends compatibilized with polyoxymethylene

Incompatibility of poly(lactic acid)/poly(?‐caprolactone) (PLA/PCL) (80:20) and (70:30) blends were modified by incorporation of a small amount of polyoxymethylene (POM) (≤3 phr). Impact of POM on microstructures and tensile property of the blends were investigated. It is found that the introduction of POM into the PLA/PCL blends significantly improves their tensile property. With increasing POM loading from zero to 3 phr, elongation at break increases from 93.2% for the PLA/PCL (70:30) sample to 334.8% for the PLA/PCL/POM (70:30:3) sample. A size reduction in PCL domains and reinforcement in interfacial adhesion with increasing POM loading are confirmed by SEM observations. The compatibilization effect of POM on PLA/PCL blends can be attributed to hydrogen bonding between methylene groups of POM and carbonyl groups of PLA and PCL. In addition, nonisothermal and isothermal crystallization behaviors of PLA/PCL/POM (70:30:x) samples were investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry and wide angle X‐ray diffraction measurements. The results indicate that the crystallization dynamic of PLA matrix increases with POM loadings. It can be attributed to the fact that POM crystals have a nucleating effect on PLA. While crystallization temperature is 100 °C, crystallization half‐time can reduce from 9.4 to 2.0 min with increasing POM loading from zero to 3 phr. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46536.     

Structural evolution of poly(lactic acid)/poly(ethylene oxide)/unmodified clay upon ambient ageing

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/unmodified clay masterbatches are compounded together in order to investigate the ambient ageing of the resulting PLA/PEO/clay ternary blends. Binary blends are miscible up to 20 wt PEO% and in ternary counterparts, clay is intercalated at a nanometric scale, similarly to the clay dispersion state in masterbatches. PEO/clay interactions are strong, as confirmed by the lower plasticization of ternary blends. Furthermore, structural modifications occurring over time are evidenced for all blends through the observation of changes in thermal responses. Over the 220‐day observation period, lower plasticized samples undergo physical ageing only whereas blends close to the miscibility limit know a rapid PLA/PEO phase separation without physical ageing. For blends with intermediate PEO concentrations, both phenomena are observed with slower PLA chain mobility transition. Remarkably clay appears to affect both phenomena, ternary blends having limited physical ageing and slower PLA/PEO segregation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40426.     

Effect of miscibility on mechanical and thermal properties of poly(lactic acid)/ polycaprolactone blends

Binary blends based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL) were prepared by melt mixing in a twin‐screw co‐rotating extruder in order to increase the low intrinsic elongation at break of PLA for packaging applications. Although PLA and PCL show low miscibility, the presence of PCL leads to a marked improvement in the ductile properties of PLA. Various mechanical properties were evaluated in terms of PCL content up to 30 wt% PCL. In addition to tensile and flexural properties, Poisson's ratio was obtained using biaxial extensometry to evaluate transversal deformations when axial loads are applied. Very slight changes in the melt temperature and glass transition temperature of PLA are observed thus indicating the low miscibility of the PLA–PCL system. Field emission scanning electron microscopy reveals some interactions between the two components of the blend since the morphology is characterized by non‐spherical polycaprolactone drops dispersed into the PLA matrix. In addition to the improvement of mechanical ductile properties, PCL provides higher degradation rates of blends under conditions of composting for contents below 22.5% PCL. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry     

Mechanical properties and morphological changes of poly(lactic acid)/polycarbonate/poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) blend through reactive processing

The mechanical properties and morphological changes of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polycarbonate (PC), and poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT) polymer blends were investigated. Several types of blend samples were prepared by reactive processing (RP) with a twin‐screw extruder using dicumyl peroxide (DCP) as a radical initiator. Dynamic mechanical analyses (DMA) of binary polymer blends of PC/PBAT indicated that each component was miscible over a wide range of PC/PBAT mixing ratios. DMA of PLA/PBAT/PC ternary blends revealed that PBAT is miscible with PC even in the case of ternary blend system and the miscibility of PLA and PBAT can also be modified through RP. As a result, the tensile strain and impact strength of the ternary blends was increased considerably through RP, especially for PLA/PBAT/PC = 42/18/40 (wt/wt/wt) with DCP (0.3 phr). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the PLA/PBAT/PC blends revealed many small spherical island phases with a domain size of approximately 0.05–1 μm for RP, whereas it was approximately 10 μm without RP. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Interfacially compatibilized poly(lactic acid) and poly(lactic acid)/polycaprolactone/organoclay nanocomposites with improved biodegradability and barrier properties: Effects of the compatibilizer structural parameters and feeding route

Nanocomposites with enhanced biodegradability and reduced oxygen permeability were fabricated via melt hybridization of organomodified clay and poly (lactic acid) (PLA) as well as a PLA/polycaprolactone (PCL) blend. The nanocomposite microstructure was engineered via interfacial compatibilization with maleated polypropylene (PP‐g‐MA). Effects of the compatibilizer structural parameters and feeding route on the dispersion state of the nanolayers and their partitioning between the PLA and PCL phases were evaluated with X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Although highly functionalized PP‐g‐MA with a low molecular weight was shown to be much more effective in the intercalation of PLA and the PLA/PCL blend into the clay gallery spaces, composite samples compatibilized by high‐molecular‐weight PP‐g‐MA with a lower degree of maleation exhibited lower oxygen permeability as well as a higher rate of biodegradation, which indicated the accelerating role of the dispersed nanolayers and their interfaces in the enzymatic degradation of PLA and PLA/PCL matrices. This evidenced a correlation between the nanocomposite structure and rate of biodegradation. The size of the PCL droplets in the PLA matrix was reduced by nanoclay incorporation, and this revealed that the nanolayers were preferentially wetted by PCL in the blend. However, PCL appeared as fine and elongated particles in the microstructure of the PLA/PCL/organoclay hybrids compatibilized by higher molecular weight and less functionalized PP‐g‐MA. All the PLA/organoclay and PLA/PCL/organoclay hybrids compatibilized with high‐molecular‐weight PP‐g‐MA displayed a higher dynamic melt viscosity with more pseudo solid‐like melt rheological responses, and this indicated the formation of a strong network structure by the dispersed clay layers. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

聚己内酯对聚乳酸/PBAT共混物增容作用的研究

研究了聚己内酯(PCL)作为增容剂对聚乳酸(PLA)与聚己二酸-对苯二甲酸丁二酯(PBAT)的共混物力学性能、热性能、动态力学性能和相容性的影响。结果表明,加入PCL可以改善PLA与PBAT的相容性,提高共混物的冲击强度、拉伸强度和拉伸弹性模量;在PCL含量为2份时共混物两相之间具有良好的相容性。     

Study on the effect of dispersion phase morphology on porous structure of poly (lactic acid)/poly (ethylene terephthalate glycol-modified) blending foams

A methodology for blending foam of poly (lactic acid) (PLA)/poly (ethylene terephthalate glycol-modified) (PETG) was proposed. PLA/PETG blends were prepared through a melt blending method, using multiple functionality epoxide as reactive compatibilizer. The effects of blending ratio and compatibilizer content on the dispersion morphology, molecular structure, mechanical properties, and rheological behavior of PLA/PETG blends were studied. Then PLA/PETG blends were foamed using supercritical CO₂ as physical blowing agent, and their porous structure, pore size, as well as pore density were investigated. The results showed that the mechanical properties and rheological parameters such as melt strength and melt elasticity, as well as the porous structure of the foams dispersion morphology of PLA/PETG blends were affected strongly. The melt elasticity of PLA/PETG blends increased with increasing compatibilizer content. Dispersion phase morphology of PLA/PETG blends also had a significant effect on the pore density of all the samples. The results indicated that homogeneous and finer porous morphology of PLA/PETG foams with high expansion ratio could be achieved with a proper content of compatibilizer in the blends.     

Ternary blend nanofibres of poly(lactic acid), polycaprolactone and cellulose acetate butyrate for skin tissue scaffolds: influence of blend ratio and polycaprolactone molecular mass on miscibility,morphology, crystallinity and thermal properties

Ternary blends of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL) and cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) were fabricated into the form of electrospun nanofibres targeted for skin tissue scaffolds. The effects of blend ratio and molecular mass of PCL (PCL1 and PCL2) on morphology, miscibility, crystallinity, thermal properties, surface hydrophilicity and cell culture of the nanofibres were investigated. Blends with high PLA loading (80/10/10 PLA/PCL/CAB) gave fibres with a smooth surface, owing to the enhanced miscibility between the polymer chains from the presence of CAB, which acts as compatibilizer. In contrast, blends with high PCL loading were immiscible, which led to beads during the electrospinning process. The increased molecular mass of PCL2 produced smoother fibres than low‐molecular‐mass PCL1. The XRD patterns of blends of PLA/PCL1/CAB and PLA/PCL2/CAB were similar to one another, in which the high‐crystallinity peaks of PCL seen for 20/70/10 blends were very small for 50/40/10 blends and much less prevalent for 80/10/10 blends. Better fibre formation (80/10/10 > 50/40/10 > 20/70/10) with less crystallinity occurs in well‐formed fibres. Selected blends of PLA/PCL/CAB promoted growth of NIH/3T3 fibroblast cells, demonstrating that our novel biocompatible ternary blend nanofibrous scaffolds have potential in skin tissue repair applications. In addition, this work helps in the design and understanding of the factors that control the properties of nanofibrous PLA/PCL/CAB scaffolds. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

A comparative study of poly(l‐lactide)‐block‐poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) six‐armed star diblock copolymers and polylactide/poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) blends

This paper deals with the synthesis of a series of six‐armed star diblock copolymers based on poly(l ‐lactide) (PLLA) and poly(?‐caprolactone) (PCL) by ring‐opening polymerization using stannous octoate as catalyst and the preparation of polylactide (PLA)/PCL linear blends using a solution blending technique, while keeping the PLA‐to‐PCL ratio comparable in both systems. The thermal, rheological and mechanical properties of the copolymers and the blends were comparatively studied. The melting point and the degree of crystallinity were found to be lower for the copolymers than the blends due to poor folding property of star copolymers. Dynamic rheology revealed that the star polymers have lower elastic modulus, storage modulus and viscosity as compared to the corresponding blends with similar composition. The blends show two‐phase dispersed morphology whereas the copolymers exhibited microphase separated morphology with elongated (worm‐like) microdomains. The crystalline structures of the copolymers were characterized by larger crystallites than their blend counterparts, as estimated using Sherrer's equation based on wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction data. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry     

Compatibilization of poly(lactic acid)/high impact polystyrene interface using copolymer poly(stylene‐ran‐methyl acrylate)

In this work, a surfactant‐free emulsion polymerization method was utilized to synthesize poly(styrene‐ran‐methyl acrylate) (PSMA) at a styrene/(methyl acrylate) mole ratio of 75/25 with the aim to compatibilize high impact polystyrene (HIPS)/poly(lactic acid) (PLA) interface. HIPS/PLA blends with different PSMA contents were prepared. Their phase morphologies, mechanical properties, and rheological and crystallization behaviors were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, tensile tests, rotational rheometry, and differential scanning calorimetry. The rheological results showed that the complex viscosity, storage moduli, and loss moduli of PLA/HIPS blends were enhanced with increasing PSMA content. A decrease in the degree of crystallinity of PLA in PLA/HIPS blends with the addition of PSMA was observed in the differential scanning calorimetry results. It was also revealed that the addition of a small amount of PSMA can effectively improve the compatibility and thus the interfacial adhesion of the PLA/HIPS blends, thereby reducing the size of the HIPS dispersion phase. When 1 wt % of PSMA was used, compared with the PLA/HIPS blends without PSMA, the tensile strength and notched Charpy impact strength of PLA/HIPS blends were improved by 95.3% and 104.8%, respectively. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 45799.     

Rheological and mechanical characterization of poly(lactic acid)/polypropylene polymer blends

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was melt blended with polypropylene (PP) with the aim of replacing commodity polymers in future applications. Since cost of PLA is quite high, it is not economically feasible to use it alone for day to day use as a packaging material without blending. This paper reports the preparation of poly(lactic acid)/polypropylene polymer blends (PLA/PP) using a laboratory scale single screw extruder. Rheological and mechanical properties of the prepared blends were determined. The rheological experiments were carried out on a capillary rheometer, the effect of shear rate, temperature and PLA content on the flow activation energy and true viscosity of the blends were described. Mechanical properties of the blends were investigated on dog bone-shaped samples obtained by injection molding; tensile tests were performed using Testometric M350-10KN. The effect of PLA content on Young’s modulus, strain at break and stress at break of the blends were described. The rheological results showed that the true viscosity of the blends is between that of the pure polymers, whereas the flow activation energy of the blends is less than that of the pure polymers. The mechanical results showed incompatibility between PLA and PP in the blend.     

An investigation of melt rheology and thermal stability of poly(lactic acid)/ poly(butylene succinate) nanocomposites

A systematic investigation of the rheological and thermal properties of nanocomposites prepared with poly(lactic acid) (PLA), poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), and organically modified layered silicate was carried out. PLA/PBS/Cloisite 30BX (organically modified MMT) clay nanocomposites were prepared by using simple melt extrusion process. Composition of PLA and PBS polymers were fixed at a ratio of 80 to 20 by wt % for all the nanocomposites. Rheological investigations showed that high clay (> 3 wt %) contents strongly improved the viscoelastic behavior of the nanocomposites. Percolation threshold region was attained between 3 and 5 wt % of clay loadings. With the addition of clay content for these nanocomposites, liquid‐like behavior of PLA/PBS blend gradually changed to solid‐like behavior as shown by dynamic rheology. Steady shear showed that shear viscosity for the nanocomposites decreased with increasing shear rates, exhibiting shear‐thinning non‐Newtonian behavior. At higher clay concentrations, pseudo‐plastic behavior was dominant, whereas pure blend showed almost Newtonian behavior. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that both initial degradation temperature (at a 2% weight loss) and activation energy of thermal decomposition nanocomposite containing 3 wt % of C30BX were superior to those of other nanocomposites as well as to those of PLA/PBS blend. Nanocomposite having 1 wt % of C30BX did not achieve expected level of thermal stability due to the thermal instability of the surfactant present in the organoclay. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Crystallization and thermoelectric behavior of conductive-filler-filled poly(ε-caprolactone)/poly(vinyl butyral)/montmorillonite nanocomposites

Crystallization and thermoelectric properties of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB)/montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposites containing carbon black (CB) have been studied as a functions of a small amount of amorphous PVB content and a wide range of molecular weight of PVB. X-ray diffraction data of PCL/PVB/MMT nanocomposites indicates most of the swellable silicate layers are exfoliated and randomly dispersed into PCL/PVB system. The band spacings of PCL spherulites in PCL/PVB/MMT nanocomposites decrease with increasing PVB content, and this indicates that increasing the PVB content greatly shortens the period of lamellar twisting. The presence of 1 wt% MMT and higher molecular weight of PVB also shorten the period of PCL lamellar twisting. Nucleation and crystallization parameters, such as growth rate G and Avrami exponent n, can be determined by using POM and DSC isothermally crystallized at 41 °C. For samples with the same CB content, the intensity of positive temperature coefficient (PTC) (I_PTC, defined as the ratio of peak resistivity to resistivity at room temperature) of the nanocomposites was increased as the content and the molecular weight of PVB increases. The change of the PTC property related to the morphological difference (i.e. period of lamellar twisting) in the nanocomposites can be discussed.     

Reactive compatibilization of biodegradable poly(lactic acid)/poly(ε‐caprolactone) blends with reactive processing agents

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) blended with poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) was prepared with various reactive processing agents. Four isocyanates‐lysine triisocyanate (LTI); lysine diisocyanate (LDI); 1,3,5‐tris(6‐isocyanatohexyl)‐1,3,5‐triazinane‐2,4,6‐trione (Duranate TPA‐100); 1,3,5‐tris(6‐isocyanatohexyl)biuret (Duranate 24A‐100)‐and an industrial epoxide‐trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether (Epiclon 725)‐were used as reactive processing agents. PLA/PCL blended in the presence of LTI had the highest torque in a mixer test. The test specimens were prepared by injection molding. The mechanical properties, thermal properties, molecular weight, melt viscosity, phase behavior, and morphology were investigated using tensile strength, impact strength, differential scanning calorimetry, melt mass‐flow rate measurements, capillary rheometery, gel permeation chromatography, laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM), and visco‐elasticity atomic force microscopy (VE‐AFM). The impact strength increased considerably at 20 wt% PCL. The nominal tensile strain of PLA/PCL blended with LTI increased by 270%. The MFR values of PLA/PCL blends decreased with increasing LTI. Similar results were observed for shear viscosity. LSCM measurements showed that the diameters of PCL were dispersed about 0.4 μm in the presence of LTI. VE‐AFM showed that spherical particles with diameters of 50 nm were PCL‐rich domain. These results indicate that isocyanate groups of LTI react with both terminal hydroxyl or carboxyl groups of polymers, and the compatibility of PLA/PCL blends improves with LTI by reactive processing. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Effects of compatibilizer on the mechanical,rheological, and shape memory behaviors of poly(lactic acid) and poly(MnBM) blends

The effects of compatibilizer on the morphological, mechanical, rheological, and shape memory properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(methyl methacrylate-block-n-butyl acrylate-block-methyl methacrylate) (Poly(MnBM)) (80/20) blend were investigated. From the morphological results, the addition of 1 wt% SAN-MAH as a compatibilizer showed minimum Poly(MnBM) domain size among the blends with the SAN-MAH in the amounts from 0 to 7 wt%. Tensile and flexural strengths, and complex viscosity of the blends showed maximum when the SAN-MAH content was 1 wt%, which suggested the increased compatibility between the PLA and Poly(MnBM) phases. From the above results, the optimum compatibilizer content of the PLA and Poly(MnBM) blend was 1 wt%. The recovery ratio of tensile energy was found to be 83 and 56% for the PLA/Poly(MnBM) blend with and without the SAN-MAH (1 wt%), respectively. Upon blending the PLA and Poly(MnBM) (80/20) with SAN-MAH (1 wt%), the increase of recovered tensile energy was observed, and that the brittleness of PLA was improved to be ductile which resulted an improved shape memory behavior of the blend. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48591.     

Comparison of polylactide/nano-sized calcium carbonate and polylactide/montmorillonite composites: Reinforcing effects and toughening mechanisms

Semicrystalline polylactide (PLA) exhibits high tensile strength and modulus but very low strain-at-break and toughness. In this study, PLA nanocomposites with nano-sized precipitated calcium carbonate (NPCC) and organically modified montmorillonite (MMT) clay were prepared by melt extrusion. Morphologies, tensile mechanical properties, dynamic mechanical and rheological properties, polymer–nanoparticle interactions, and toughening mechanisms of the PLA/NPCC and PLA/MMT nanocomposites were compared. MMT and NPCC showed significantly different effects on the strength, modulus and elongation of the PLA nanocomposites. Different toughening mechanisms were first elucidated for the two types of nanocomposites based on the evidence from both macroscopic and microscopic observations. Under uniaxial tension, large quantities of microvoids were created in both PLA nanocomposites. The microvoids in PLA/NPCC caused massive crazing, while in PLA/MMT they resulted in shear yielding, particularly in the nanocomposite with 2.5 wt% MMT. The MMT stacks and platelets were found to be located between the microvoids in the extended specimens and prevented them from collapsing and coalescing.