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Physico-chemical Characterization of PLA-based Composites Holding Carbon Nanofillers

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Abstract

Polylactic acid (PLA) is the most wide-scale investigated biodegradable and renewable under specific processing conditions thermoplastic polyester. As bioplastic material, it has the potential to be used as a substituent of conventional polymers derived from fossil fuel resources. The drawbacks possessed by PLA as poor thermal and electrical properties, mechanical brittleness, and ability to undergo polymer chain degradation in ambient medium could be overcome by incorporation of carbon nanofillers in the PLA matrix. Raman spectroscopy was used to study the effect of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the nanocomposite molecular morphology and structure. The carbon nanofillers impact on the crystallinity of the melt blended hybrid material and the changes in the composite architecture were defined by applying of physical methods as X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) was implemented to outline the thermal properties of the nanocomposites. An excellent homogeneity and firmly expressed crystalline structure of the produced composite materials were disclosed. Tensile testing showed that coupling GNPs and MWCNTs has higher positive effect on ultimate tensile strength of the nanocomposites and lower influence on Young’s modulus of elasticity.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author on request.

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Acknowledgments

This work has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020-MSCA-RISE-734164 Graphene 3D Project and by the H2020-FET-Graphene Flagship-881603 Graphene Core 3.

The author would like to acknowledge the contribution of the Bilateral collaboration between IMech, BAS and IPCB-CNR, Napoli/Portici (2019-2021).

This study has also been accomplished with the financial support by the Grant No BG05M2OP001-1.002-0011, financed by the Science and Education for Smart Growth Operational Program (2014-2020) and co-financed by the European Union through the European structural and Investment funds.

This study was also supported in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—PRINT 88887.310339/2018-00 and Fundo Mackenzie de Pesquisa (MackPesquisa, Project No. 181009).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Open Laboratory on Experimental Micro and Nano Mechanics (OLEM), Institute of Mechanics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str. Block 4, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Todor Batakliev, Vladimir Georgiev, Evgeni Ivanov & Rumiana Kotsilkova

  2. MackGraphe, Mackenzie Institute for Research in Graphene and Nanotechnologies, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Rua da Consolação, 896, São Paulo, SP, 01302-907, Brazil

    Cristiane Kalupgian, Pablo A. R. Muñoz, Hélio Ribeiro, Guilhermino J. M. Fechine & Ricardo J. E. Andrade

  3. Research and Development of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnologies (NanoTech Lab Ltd.), Acad. G. Bonchev Str. Block 4, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Todor Batakliev, Vladimir Georgiev & Evgeni Ivanov

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  1. Todor Batakliev
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  2. Vladimir Georgiev
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  9. Rumiana Kotsilkova
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Correspondence to Todor Batakliev.

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Batakliev, T., Georgiev, V., Kalupgian, C. et al. Physico-chemical Characterization of PLA-based Composites Holding Carbon Nanofillers. Appl Compos Mater 28, 1175–1192 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10443-021-09911-0

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