Foam Processing and Cellular Structure of Polylactide /Layered Silicate Nanocomposites
Youhei FUJIMOTO, Suprakas SINHA RAY, Joo Young NAM, Akinobu OGAMI
Toyota Technological Institute
JAPAN
Keywords: PLA, Nanocomposites, Foam processing
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 tri methyl octadecyl ammonium cation was used as an organically modified layered silicate (OMLS) for the nanocomposites preparation. The internal structure of the nanocomposites in the nanometer range has been established by using wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) 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 melt rheology of PLA and various PLACNs was also reported.
In addition, we also discuss foam processing of both amorphous and crystalline PLA/layered silicate nanocomposites by using supercritical CO2 in a batch process.