Poly(l-Lactic Acid)/Pine Wood Bio-Based Composites

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Science
• Biocomposites

Background:

• Poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) is a biodegradable polymer with potential for sustainable materials.
• Developing effective bio-based composites requires addressing filler-matrix compatibility.
• Pine wood offers a renewable filler option for polymer composites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of pine wood as a filler in PLLA.
• To evaluate the efficacy of γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APE) as a compatibilizer for PLLA/wood composites.
• To characterize the structural, thermal, and mechanical properties of the resulting composites.

Main Methods:

• Melt extrusion was used to prepare PLLA/wood composites.
• Wood was impregnated with γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APE) for compatibilization.
• Solid-state ¹H NMR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed for analysis.

Main Results:

• APE significantly improved compatibility between PLLA and pine wood.
• Pine wood acted as a nucleating agent, increasing PLLA crystallization rate and fraction.
• Composites exhibited slightly reduced thermal stability but improved deformability and impact resistance with APE treatment.

Conclusions:

• γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APE) is an efficient compatibilizer for poly(l-lactic acid)/wood composites.
• The addition of wood enhances the crystallization behavior of PLLA.
• Compatibilized composites show improved interfacial adhesion, leading to better mechanical performance.