Monitoring of morphology and properties during preparation of PCL/PLA microfibrillar composites with organophilic montmorillonite

0525258 - ÚMCH 2021 RIV CH eng J - Journal Article
Šlouf, Miroslav - Ujčić, Aleksanda - Nevoralová, Martina - Vacková, Taťana - Fambri, L. - Kelnar, Ivan
Monitoring of morphology and properties during preparation of PCL/PLA microfibrillar composites with organophilic montmorillonite.
Frontiers in Materials. Roč. 7, 25 June (2020), s. 1-16, č. článku 188. ISSN 2296-8016. E-ISSN 2296-8016
R&D Projects: GA TA ČR(CZ) TN01000008; GA TA ČR(CZ) TE01020118; GA ČR(CZ) GA19-06065S; GA MŠMT(CZ) LO1507
Institutional support: RVO:61389013
Keywords : biodegradable microfibrillar composites * polycaprolactone * poly(lactic acid)
OECD category: Polymer science
Impact factor: 3.515, year: 2020
Method of publishing: Open access
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2020.00188/full

Biodegradable microfibrillar composites PCL/PLA/C15, where PCL is poly(ε-caprolactone), PLA is poly(lactic acid), and C15 is organophilic montmorillonite, have been prepared. Microindentation hardness testing was employed in monitoring the gradual improvement of PCL stiffness due to PLA addition, C15 addition, flow-induced orientation, and changing crystallinity throughout the whole preparation process. Neat PCL after extrusion and injection molding was quite soft, but the stiffness of the material increased after melt-blending with 20 wt.% of PLA, after the addition of 2 wt.% of C15, and after the preparation of the final microfibrillar composite. The indentation modulus and indentation hardness of all intermediate products and the final PCL/PLA/C15 microfibrillar composite were associated not only with the composition and morphology but also with the crystallinity of both components. The modulus of the final PCL/PLA/C15 composite was almost two times higher in comparison with the original PCL matrix.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0309815