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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Effect of an organoclay on the photochemical transformations of a PBAT/PLA blend and morpho-chemical features of crosslinked networks

Francesco Paolo La MantiaRoberto ScaffaroAndrea MaioMichele Gammino

subject

chemistry.chemical_classificationMaterials scienceNanocompositePolymers and Plasticsbiologybioplastic Cloisite crosslinking nanocomposites PBAT Photo-oxidation PLAChemical structureMorphoPolymerCondensed Matter Physicsbiology.organism_classificationPhotochemistrySettore ING-IND/22 - Scienza E Tecnologia Dei MaterialichemistryMechanics of MaterialsMaterials ChemistryOrganoclayPorosityMacromolecule

description

Abstract In this work, we report the effect of an organoclay on the photochemical weathering of nanocomposites based on a poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT)/poly(lactic acid) (PLA) blend. The evolution of physicochemical properties was monitored by integrating spectroscopic, mechanical, and morphological analyses. A robust relationship was found between the molecular transformations of the polymer macromolecules and the morpho-mechanical properties of irradiated films. Moreover, the analysis of insoluble fractions extracted from nanocomposites pointed out that free-standing, porous structures, displaying an unprecedented thickness as great as 100 µm, were formed, thus unambiguously demonstrating that the organoclay increased the propagation depth of photochemical crosslinking reactions by 10 times with respect to previously reported results on PBAT. The pore architecture and chemical structure of such crosslinked networks proved to change depending on organoclay content of films.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2021-05-01Polymer Degradation and Stability
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2021.109549