Polymer blend nanocomposites based on poly(l-lactic acid), polypropylene and WS₂ inorganic nanotubes

Abstract

Tungsten disulphide inorganic nanotubes (INT-WS 2 ) have been incorporated into poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA)/ polypropylene (PP) blends compatibilized with polypropylene-grafted-maleic anhydride (PP-g-MAH), and their effects on the morphology, thermal and mechanical properties of the resulting nanocomposites have been investigated. The nanofillers were uniformly dispersed at the nanoscale via a melt-blending process. The addition of 1.0 wt% INT-WS 2 to the PLLA/PP blends hardly affected their thermal stability or their degradation mechanism. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms revealed the nucleating role of INT-WS 2 on both polymeric components, reflected not only in an increase in the crystallization temperature from the melt but also in a rise in the crystallization enthalpy and the suppression of the cold-crystallization process; this effect was found to be more pronounced on PLLA and the blends rich in this component. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) measurements demonstrated that the storage modulus of the nanocomposites was higher than those of the binary blends in the whole temperature range studied, ascribed to a synergistic effect of their increased crystallinity and the high INT-WS 2 rigidity. This study opens up new perspectives to develop novel INT-WS 2 /polymer blend hybrid nanocomposites that show great potential for biomedical applications.

Nanocomposite Materials Based on TMDCs WS2 Modified Poly(l-Lactic Acid)/Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride) Polymer Blends

“…Moreover, blending nanoparticles with an immiscible mixture (PLLA-blend) expands the possible routes for compatibilization, and unlike polymeric compatibilizers, nanoparticles are not specific to the nature of the immiscible components of the mixture and are easily incorporated by mixing. Further, the addition of nanoparticles can significantly improve the materials’ properties, combining the attributes of the base polymer blend with the characteristics of the nanoparticle [ 16 , 33 ].…”

Torsional moduli of transition metal dichalcogenide nanotubes from first principles

“…TMD nanotubes have a number of interesting properties including high tensile strength 7-10 , mechanically tunable electronic properties [11][12][13][14][15][16][17] , and low cytotoxicity 18 . These properties make TMD nanotubes suited to a number of applications, including reinforcement of composites [19][20][21][22][23][24] , nanoelectromechanical (NEMS) devices 17,25,26 , and medicine 27 , where knowledge of their mechanical properties is important from the perspective of both design and performance.…”

Biopolymer Composites: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

“…One of the most widely used biopolymers is PLA, a fully biodegradable and biocompatible polymer widely used in packaging, agricultural, personal care, cosmetic, biomedical, and tissue engineering sectors [10]. Many researchers have explored bactericidal films based on PLA with the addition of different reinforcements such as plant tree oils [11,12].…”