Change search
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf
Aligned plasticized polylactic acid cellulose nanocomposite tapes: Effect of drawing conditions
Luleå University of Technology, Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Material Science.
Luleå University of Technology, Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Material Science.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1776-2725
Luleå University of Technology, Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Material Science.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2906-2470
Luleå University of Technology, Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Material Science.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4762-2854
2018 (English)In: Composites. Part A, Applied science and manufacturing, ISSN 1359-835X, E-ISSN 1878-5840, Vol. 104, p. 101-107Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Aligned nanocomposite tapes based on plasticized polylactic acid (PLA) and 1 wt.% cellulose nanofibers (CNF) were prepared using uniaxial solid-state drawing, and the effects of drawing conditions including temperature, speed and draw ratio on the material were studied. Microscopy studies confirmed alignment and the formation of ‘shish-kebab’ morphology in the drawn tape. Mechanical properties demonstrate that the solid-state drawing is a very effective way to produce stronger and tougher PLA nanocomposites, and the toughness can be improved 60 times compared to the undrawn tape. Additionally, the thermal properties, i.e. storage modulus, glass transition temperature and degree of crystallinity were improved. These improvements are expected due to the synergistic effect of CNF in the nanocomposite and orientations induced by the solid-state drawing.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2018. Vol. 104, p. 101-107
Keywords [en]
Nanocomposites, Mechanical properties, Thermal properties, Microstructural analysis
National Category
Composite Science and Engineering Bio Materials
Research subject
Wood and Bionanocomposites
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-64862DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2017.10.019ISI: 000418966900010Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85032722515OAI: oai:DiVA.org:ltu-64862DiVA, id: diva2:1124121
Note

Validerad;2017;Nivå 2;2017-11-14 (andbra)

Available from: 2017-07-13 Created: 2017-07-13 Last updated: 2023-09-05Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Processing and properties of nanocomposites based on polylactic acid, chitin and cellulose
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Processing and properties of nanocomposites based on polylactic acid, chitin and cellulose
2017 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

The production of bio-based and biodegradable nanocomposites has gained attention during recent years for environmental reasons; however, the large-scale production of these nanocomposites still poses challenges. The objective of this work has been to prepare bio-based and biodegradable nanocomposites via liquid-assisted extrusion and to gain a deeper understanding of the process and the relationship between the process, composition, structure and properties. Extrusion is a common industrial process and thus, the development of this technique for the preparation of bionanocomposites can promote the commercialization of these materials in future.

In this work, nanocomposites based on polylactic acid (PLA), cellulose nanofibers (CNF), cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), and chitin nanocrystals (ChNC) with varying nanomaterial content were prepared via liquid-assisted extrusion using a plasticizer as a dispersing and processing aid. This process consists of dispersing the nanomaterial in a liquid composed of water, a plasticizer and/or a solvent, and then feeding this suspension directly into the extruder during the process. To be able to carry out this process successfully, parameters such as the amount of liquid, the liquid feeding rate or the water-to-solvent ratio, among others, should be taken in account.

CNF and ChNC were produced from banana rachis waste and crustacean waste, respectively, whereas CNC were available as a commercial product. Glycerol triacetate (GTA) and triethyl citrate (TEC) were used as plasticizers, dispersing and processing aids. The effects of the liquids used during extrusion, the plasticizers and the nanomaterials in the PLA properties were studied. Furthermore, the effects of the cooling rate during the compression molding and the solid-state drawing on the properties of the PLA nanocomposites were investigated. Additionally, the effect of ChNC on the processing and properties of blown films was evaluated.

The results presented in this work demonstrated that the use of water and a solvent during the liquid-assisted extrusion did not decrease the molecular weight of the PLA. It was also found that the feeding of nanomaterials in aqueous or aqueous/solvent suspension resulted in PLA micro-composite with lower mechanical properties than PLA. However, when a nanomaterial was fed together with a plasticizer, its dispersion and distribution into the PLA were progressively improved with increasing plasticizer content. The plasticized PLA nanocomposites showed improved properties compared to their respective counterpart without nanomaterials when the plasticizer content was ≥7.5 wt%. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the properties of PLA can be tailored through the composition of the nanocomposite or during the processing. It was observed that the modification of PLA with only plasticizer in high amounts (20 wt%) resulted in enhanced elongation at break and toughness but it had negative effects on the thermal and mechanical properties; however, the incorporation of nanomaterials minimized these effects. The addition of a small amount of nanomaterial (1 wt%), either CNF, CNC or ChNC, to plasticized PLA resulted in enhanced mechanical properties. It was also demonstrated that the cooling rate during compression molding and the solid-state drawing significantly affected the crystallinity of the PLA nanocomposites and, thus, their final properties. The fast cooling rate during compression molding resulted in more flexible and transparent materials than when a slow cooling rate was used, and as a result, PLA films with different mechanical properties were obtained. The drawing of the PLA/CNF nanocomposite at a drawing temperature slightly above the Tg, a high draw speed and at the highest drawing ratio, resulted in the highest mechanical properties. It was also found that the increased toughness after adding CNF to the plasticized PLA or after drawing the PLA/CNF nanocomposite, was attributed to the occurrence of massive crazing effect as a result of the presence of CNF and its effect on the crystallinity and/or on the spherulite growth. Finally, 6 kg of plasticized PLA nanocomposite with 5 wt% of ChNC was prepared and used as a masterbatch to produce bio-nanocomposite blown films. The nanocomposite material showed easier processability during the film-blowing process when compared with the reference material without nanocrystals. In addition, the nanocomposite blown films exhibited higher tear and puncture strength, lower fungal activity and lower electrostatic attraction properties, which are favorable in packaging applications. 

In conclusion, this thesis shows that the liquid-assisted extrusion process is an excellent approach for producing PLA nanocomposites using cellulose and chitin nanomaterials. The results indicated that the addition of these nanomaterials, together with a plasticizer and further processing, can result in PLA nanocomposites with varied properties that can be used for packing applications. It was also shown that the processing technique presented can be a step forward for the large-scale production of bionanocomposites.

 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Luleå: Luleå University of Technology, 2017
Series
Doctoral thesis / Luleå University of Technology 1 jan 1997 → …, ISSN 1402-1544
Keywords
Nanocomposite, Cellulose, Chitin, Extrusion, Polylactic acid
National Category
Composite Science and Engineering
Research subject
Wood and Bionanocomposites
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-64863 (URN)978-91-7583-929-5 (ISBN)978-91-7583-930-1 (ISBN)
Public defence
2017-09-15, E632, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, 10:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2017-08-11 Created: 2017-07-13 Last updated: 2017-11-24Bibliographically approved
2. Cellulose-based Nanocomposites – The Relationship between Structure and Properties
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Cellulose-based Nanocomposites – The Relationship between Structure and Properties
2018 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Nanocellulose materials extracted from various types of biomass have recently attracted significant attention. Due to their remarkable mechanical properties, large surface area and biodegradability, they can be promising reinforcements in nanocomposites. Cellulose-based nanocomposites constitutive of nanocellulose reinforcements and biodegradable polymer matrices have great potential to be used in environmentally friendly applications to replace fossil-based materials. However, the challenge of controlling their nanoscale structure, especially achieving good dispersion of nanocellulose in hydrophobic polymer matrices, still poses significant obstacles to producing high-performance nanocomposites. Therefore, this thesis reports several methods for structural modification of cellulose-based nanocomposites toward the objectives of improving the dispersion of nanocellulose and enhancing the properties of the nanocomposites. The methods include in situ emulsion polymerization in the presence of nanocellulose, crosslinking of polymer matrix, grafting of polymer brushes to nanocellulose and drawing of nanocomposites to obtain aligned structures. The resulting mechanical, thermal and other related properties are investigated, and the relationship between structure and properties of the nanocomposites are discussed.

To address the challenge of achieving good dispersion of nanocellulose in hydrophobic matrices, in situ emulsion polymerization of vinyl acetate monomer in the presence of cellulose nanocrystals has been developed. Microscopy results show that the in situ method improves the compatibility between nanocellulose and hydrophobic polymers, which consequently improves the dispersion of nanocellulose in the nanocomposites. Compared with direct mixed polymer/nanocellulose composites, the in situ synthesized nanocomposites exhibit higher stiffness and strength arising from their superior interphase volume, which is confirmed theoretically and experimentally. Crosslinking of partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl acetate) by borate additives under different pH conditions has been studied to further enhance mechanical properties of the nanocomposites. Moreover, the “grafting to” modification method also helps to overcome this challenge. It is revealed that poly(ethylene glycol)-grafted cellulose nanofibers disperse better in poly(lactic acid) matrix than unmodified cellulose nanofibers, which is attributed to the improved compatibility and steric effect provided by the covalently grafted poly(ethylene glycol) brushes.

To substantially enhance the unidirectional mechanical properties of cellulose-based nanocomposites, a highly aligned structure in the materials is obtained through the drawing process. Drawing conditions including temperature, speed and draw ratio show considerable effects on the mechanical and thermal properties of the nanocomposites. Furthermore, the aligned nanocomposites consisting of poly(lactic acid) matrix and ultra-low weight fraction of poly(ethylene glycol)-grafted cellulose nanofibers demonstrate competitive strength, superb toughness and interesting optical behaviors compared with other aligned nanocellulose-based materials reported in the literature, indicating their potential to be further developed for large-scale environmentally friendly applications.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Luleå: Luleå University of Technology, 2018
Series
Doctoral thesis / Luleå University of Technology 1 jan 1997 → …, ISSN 1402-1544
Keywords
Nanocellulose, Nanocomposite, Dispersion, Poly(vinyl acetate), Poly(lactic acid), Alignment, Mechanical characteristics
National Category
Composite Science and Engineering Nano Technology Bio Materials
Research subject
Wood and Bionanocomposites
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-70411 (URN)978-91-7790-182-2 (ISBN)978-91-7790-183-9 (ISBN)
Public defence
2018-09-19, E632, Luleå, 10:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Funder
Knut and Alice Wallenberg FoundationBio4Energy
Available from: 2018-08-16 Created: 2018-08-15 Last updated: 2023-09-05Bibliographically approved

Open Access in DiVA

No full text in DiVA

Other links

Publisher's full textScopus

Authority records

Singh, Anshu A.Geng, ShiyuHerrera Vargas, NataliaOksman, Kristiina

Search in DiVA

By author/editor
Singh, Anshu A.Geng, ShiyuHerrera Vargas, NataliaOksman, Kristiina
By organisation
Material Science
In the same journal
Composites. Part A, Applied science and manufacturing
Composite Science and EngineeringBio Materials

Search outside of DiVA

GoogleGoogle Scholar

doi
urn-nbn

Altmetric score

doi
urn-nbn
Total: 515 hits
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf