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Revista Técnica de la Facultad de Ingeniería Universidad del Zulia

Print version ISSN 0254-0770

Abstract

ROSALES, Carmen et al. Effects of Processing Degradation on Properties of Poly (Lactic Acid) Composites Based on Montmorillonite and Sepiolite. Rev. Téc. Ing. Univ. Zulia [online]. 2017, vol.40, n.1, pp.34-41. ISSN 0254-0770.

Composites of poly (lactic acid) (PLA) with sepiolite and montmorillonite were prepared. The influence of degradation during PLA processing and the incorporation of two surfactant agents on the sepiolite was studied in terms of the composites’ intrinsic viscosities, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). Tensile properties were also determined from injection- molded specimens. During melt processing, the PLA phase displayed thermo-mechanical degradation through a significant decrease of its molecular weight. Results unfolded that PLA composites with modified sepiolite have similar tensile properties to those of neat PLA and lower values in tensile properties were obtained in the PLA/montmorillonite nanocomposite. The thermal stability of the PLA/modified sepiolite composites measured through TGA in inert atmosphere, both before and after hydrolytic degradation, was lower than those of processed PLA and PLA/montmorillonite nanocomposite. A nanocomposite of PLA based on unmodified sepiolite was also prepared which showed similar tensile properties and a higher degree of hydrolytic degradation than that of neat PLA in alkaline pH. These results open new application possibilities for PLA/ sepiolite nanocomposites with a high biodegradability potential (higher than that of neat PLA) and good tensile properties.

Keywords : poly(Lactic acid) composites; sepiolite; surfactants; montmorillonite; tensile properties.

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