Transport properties of poly(lactic acid)/clay nanocomposites

Abstract

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is one of the most promising sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based polymers. One of the main applications is in the packaging industry. Therefore, this article deals with the evaluation of gas transport properties polylactic acid 2003D nanocomposite. Montmorillonite-based fillers, Cloisite® 10A, 20A, 30B and natural Cloisite® Na+, intended to enhance the transport properties, were incorporated into a series of PLA films. The influence of the additive on the transport properties was studied under the conditions of melt processing. Further material morphology was assessed using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The best results achieved compositions with PLA/Cloisite10A and Cloisite 30B with improvement more than 50%. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers