The fabrication of polylactide/cellulose nanocomposites with enhanced crystallization and mechanical properties

Hongbin Chai; Yue Chang; Yunchong Zhang; Zhize Chen; Yi Zhong; Linping Zhang; Xiaofeng Sui; Hong Xu; Zhiping Mao

doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.11.135

The fabrication of polylactide/cellulose nanocomposites with enhanced crystallization and mechanical properties

Int J Biol Macromol. 2020 Jul 15:155:1578-1588. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.11.135. Epub 2019 Nov 18.

Authors

Hongbin Chai¹, Yue Chang¹, Yunchong Zhang¹, Zhize Chen¹, Yi Zhong¹, Linping Zhang¹, Xiaofeng Sui¹, Hong Xu², Zhiping Mao³

Affiliations

¹ Key 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.
² Key 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; Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Textiles of Shandong Province, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China. Electronic address: hxu@dhu.edu.cn.
³ Key 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; Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Textiles of Shandong Province, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China. Electronic address: zhpmao@dhu.edu.cn.

PMID: 31751689
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.11.135

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.

Keywords: Cellulose Nanocrystals; Mechanical and crystallization properties; Polylactide.

MeSH terms

Cellulose / chemistry*
Crystallization
Mechanical Phenomena*
Nanocomposites / chemistry*
Polyesters / chemistry*
Polymerization
Tensile Strength

Substances

Polyesters
poly(lactide)
Cellulose