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Thermal behavior and water absorption kinetics of polylactic acid/chitosan biocomposites

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Abstract

In this study, biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA)/chitosan (Cs) composites were produced via melt compounding and compression molding techniques. Various chitosan loadings of 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 parts per hundred parts of polymer (php) were incorporated into PLA and its effects on thermal, water absorption kinetics, tensile and morphological characteristics were investigated systematically. Thermal analysis indicated that an increase in chitosan loading of up to 10 php enhanced the crystallinity percentage (χc) of neat PLA to an extent of 51%, yet reduced the thermal stability of the resulting biocomposites. The kinetic study results revealed that water absorption of PLA/Cs biocomposites approached the Fickian diffusion behavior. The maximum water uptake (Msat) increased with chitosan addition, which can be attributed to stronger water–filler interaction. This was correlated to higher diffusion (D), solubility (S) and permeability (P) coefficients, which suggested the acceleration in diffusion rate and better water permeation through the biocomposites. In addition, the tensile results of dry samples showed enhancement in tensile strength and tensile modulus by 2% and 14%, respectively, relative to neat PLA through the incorporation of 2.5 php of chitosan loading. However, the water-immersed biocomposites demonstrated deterioration in all tensile properties (tensile strength, tensile modulus, and elongation-at-break values) which signified hydrolytic polymer degradation. This was confirmed by the FESEM micrographs of the fractured surfaces which exhibited filler pulled-out phenomenon and cavity formation after 50 days of water immersion.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to acknowledge the support from the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) under a Grant number of FRGS/1/2018/STG01/UNIMAP/03/3 from the Ministry of Education of Malaysia.

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education of Malaysia under the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) (FRGS/1/2018/STG01/UNIMAP/03/3).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300, Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

    Nor Helya Iman Kamaludin, Hanafi Ismail & Arjulizan Rusli

  2. Faculty of Chemical Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, 02600, Arau, Perlis, Malaysia

    Nor Helya Iman Kamaludin & Sam Sung Ting

  3. Center of Excellence Geopolymer and Green Technology (CEGeoGTech), Universiti Malaysia Perlis, 01000, Kangar, Perlis, Malaysia

    Sam Sung Ting

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  1. Nor Helya Iman Kamaludin
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study, main conceptual ideas and design. HI had supervised the project and NHIK conducted the experiment, collected and analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript with consultation and input from all authors. AR assisted in the thermal analysis study and SST helped to perform the water absorption kinetics. All authors have read and commented on the first draft of the manuscript and approved the submitted final version.

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Correspondence to Hanafi Ismail.

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Kamaludin, N.H.I., Ismail, H., Rusli, A. et al. Thermal behavior and water absorption kinetics of polylactic acid/chitosan biocomposites. Iran Polym J 30, 135–147 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13726-020-00879-5

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