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The effect of cellulose nanofibers on the crystallinity and nanostructure of poly(lactic acid) composites

Journal of Materials Science volume 51, pages 9771–9791 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a semi-crystalline polymer with good transparency, mechanical strength, and melt processability. However, the use of PLA in applications like food packaging is limited by its low heat resistance and slow crystallization rate. The addition of cellulose nanofibers can be an efficient solution to enhance PLA crystallinity and stiffness, maintaining the transparency and biodegradability, which are mandatory for packaging applications. The combined effect of annealing and cellulose nanofibers (surface treated—SCN or untreated—CN) on the crystalline structure of PLA was thoroughly studied at both micro- and nano-scales by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), mechanical tests, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM), Peak Force QNM (Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping) mode. The ability of CN to act as nucleating agents was highlighted by DSC and XRD, both methods pointing out similar trends of crystallinity variation. Higher crystallinity was observed after annealing, 59 % instead of 40 % for PLA, 67 % instead of 48 % for PLA-CN and 57 % instead of 39 % for PLA-SCN, respectively. A mixture of α and α′ crystals was detected in all the samples after annealing but the concentration of the more disordered α′ form was higher in PLA-CN than in PLA-SCN. The transformation of the grained structure specific to amorphous PLA into a crystalline lamellar structure (average lamellar thickness of about 22 nm) after annealing was detected by Peak Force QNM. Nanoindentation tests showed an improvement of the surface modulus and hardness for the composites compared to PLA, after annealing. Thus, modulus increased from 5.9 GPa for PLA to 6.2 GPa for PLA-CN and 6.6 GPa for PLA-SCN. The understanding of PLA nanostructure modification by annealing and CN addition may contribute to adjust post-processing treatments, thus making PLA more suitable for packaging and other applications.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by Grant PN-II-RU-TE-2014-4-1139, code 57/2015 (FULLBIOPACK) of the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research and Innovation, CNCS – UEFISCDI and by the Projects PN-II-PCCA, code 158/2012 (POLYBAC) and INOVA-OPTIMA SMIS code 49164 (658/2014).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Polymer Department, National Institute of Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021, Bucharest, Romania

    Adriana Nicoleta Frone, Denis Mihaela Panaitescu, Ioana Chiulan, Cristian Andi Nicolae & Zina Vuluga

  2. National Institute for Optoelectronics, 409 Atomistilor Str., 077125, Magurele-Bucharest, Romania

    Catalin Vitelaru

  3. Advanced Polymer Materials Group, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Gheorghe Polizu, 011061, Bucharest, Romania

    Celina Maria Damian

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  1. Adriana Nicoleta Frone
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  2. Denis Mihaela Panaitescu
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  3. Ioana Chiulan
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  4. Cristian Andi Nicolae
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Correspondence to Denis Mihaela Panaitescu.

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Frone, A.N., Panaitescu, D.M., Chiulan, I. et al. The effect of cellulose nanofibers on the crystallinity and nanostructure of poly(lactic acid) composites. J Mater Sci 51, 9771–9791 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-016-0212-1

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Keywords

  • Differential Scanning Calorimetry
  • Cellulose Nanocrystals
  • Atomic Force Microscopy Investigation
  • Cellulose Nanofillers
  • Silane Treatment