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Published on: June 17, 2014
The fabrication of polylactide/cellulose nanocomposites with enhanced crystallization and mechanical properties
Hongbin Chai1, Yue Chang1, Yunchong Zhang1
1Key Lab of Science and Technology of Eco-textile, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China.
Abstract:
Polylactide/cellulose nanocomposites were fabricated by blending of commercial polylactide (PLA) and modified cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). Modified CNCs were prepared via the in situ polymerization of CNCs and L-lactic acid (CNCs-PLLA) or D-lactic acid (CNCs-PDLA). The actual occurrence of chemical bond between CNCs and PLA segment was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction and solubility tests. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction characterization indicated that CNCs-PDLA better improved the crystallization ability of PLA matrix compared with CNCs-PLLA. Furthermore, compared with the neat PLA (60.0 MPa), the tensile strength of resulting nanocomposites showed an enhancement of up to 36% (81.65 MPa). And the nanocomposites with CNCs-PDLA exhibited both high crystallinity and improved mechanical properties.

