Effect of Graphene Nanoplatelets on morphology and property enhancement of immiscible polycarbonate/poly(lactic acid) blends

摘要

With the advent of Additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies various thermoplastic blends are being investigated for high performance applications. Amino functionalized Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNP) were incorporated into Polycarbonate (PC) and Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) blend to enhance the thermal and mechanical properties while reducing the dependence on petroleum resources. Nanocomposites containing 70PC/30PLA and 0.2-5 wt. % GNP were prepared via simple solution blending method and then 3D printed. Dispersion of nanoparticles and morphology of the blended composites were studied via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Using Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) glass transition and melting behaviors were investigated. Thermal decomposition behavior was examined via Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). Mechanical properties were investigated by static tensile tests. It was found that selective localization of GNP’s into continuous, dispersed and interface phases of the blend affected the overall properties of the thermoplastic blend.