INFLUENCE OF ORGANO-CLAY TYPE ON THE THERMAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF POLY(L-LACTIDE)/CLAY NANOCOMPOSITES

摘要

Poly (l-lactide) (PLLA) has received considerable attention recently because it is environmentally friendly, derived from agricultural sources, and biodegradable. However, the mechanical properties of PLLA are typically low compared to other petroleum-based plastics. Recently, properties such as modulus and heat deflection temperature have been improved by creating polymer/clay nanocomposites. This study focuses on the effect of different organic modifiers for montmorrillonite clay on the thermal and mechanical properties of PLLA. Upon the addition of a small amount (1-10 wt %) of these modified clays, the storage modulus and T_g increases for all types of clays. The greatest increase in properties is found using quaternary ammonium ion having a pendant benzyl group.