Carbon-based fillers such as one dimensional (1-D) carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and two-dimensional (2-D) graphene (GP) were supposed to be efficient fillers to modify polylactic acid (PLA) which possessed poor melt strength, thus improving the foaming behavior of PLA. However, the agglomeration of fillers limited the application of CNTs and GP. Herein, in current work, 2-D GP and 1-D CNTs were simultaneously introduced to improve foaming behaviour of PLA, and rheological properties, crystallization behavior, electrical conductivity and compressive properties of PLA/CNTs/GP composites were investigated. The better filler dispersion was found in PLA/CNTs/GP composite, resulting in the highest complex viscosity and storage modulus of PLA/CNTs/GP compared with PLA/CNTs, PLA/GP and PLA. Except for the rheology properties, PLA/CNTs/GP exhibited the lowest cold crystallization temperature (Tc) at 98.3 oC, 20 oC lower than that of PLA. Composite foams with both CNTs and GP displayed decreased cell size and increased cell density due to its improved rheology property and crystallization behavior, indicating synergistic effect of CNTs and GP. Besides improved cell morphology, the addition of fillers could enhance the electrical conductivity of insulated PLA foams to about 0.1 S/cm and increase the compressive strength, which widened the application of PLA foams.

Synergistic effect of graphene and carbon nanotubes: Novel strategy to improve the foaming behavior of polylactic acid

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

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