Mechanical properties of PLA reinforced by acterial cellulose

摘要

cellulose produced by culturing Acetobacter xylinum in SH (Schramm and Hestrin) medium is a unique biopolymer in terms of micro-morphology structure, biocompatibility, mechanical strength and chemical stability. In this paper, polylactic acid (PLA)/bacterial cellulose (BC) composites (PLA/BC) were prepared by solution casting method. Moreover, polyethylene glycol (PEG) was employed to improve the compatibility of PLA and BC. Tensile strength test showed that the tensile strength of PLA/BC was significantly increased, 105 MPa versus 35 MPa of pure PLA. The superior tensile strength value was attributed to the uniform, continuous, and straight nano-scalar 3-D network structure. Contact angle test showed that the addition of PEG could increase the hydrophilicity of PLA and reinforced the interfacial bonding of PLA and BC. The tensile strength of PEG/PLA/BC composites was up to 115 MPa.