Flexural, thermal and antistatic properties of poly(lactic cid)/polypropylene/carbon nanotube nanocomposite

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Date
2019-07
Authors
Lim, Yuan Ting
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This present study is aimed to determine the effect of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and compound mixing sequences on the flexural, antistatic, thermal and morphological properties of poly(lactic acid)/polypropylene/carbon nanotubes (PLA/PP/CNT) nanocomposites. PLA/PP with blend ratio of 60:40 that contained CNT with loading from 1.0 to 2.5 wt% was melt compounded followed by compression moulding. Three compound mixing sequences were PLA→PP→CNT (mixing sequence A), PLA→CNT→PP (mixing sequence B) and PP→CNT→PLA (mixing sequence C). The antistatic properties of PLA/PP/CNT nanocomposites were achieved at 2.5 wt% of CNT loading by MSA, 1.5 wt% of CNT loading by MSB and 2.0 wt% of CNT by MSC. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) showed that the morphology of PLA/PP blend transformed from sea-island to co-continuous with the incorporation of CNT. CNT was selectively localized at PLA major phase. Dispersion of CNTs on PLA PP interface was observed for nanocomposite prepared by MSB sequence. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results indicated that thermal decomposition of PLA/PP/CNT nanocomposite was affected by the loading of CNT as well as the mixing sequences. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) results demonstrated that CNT had reduced the cold crystallization temperature of PLA whereas it increased crystallization temperature of PP. From the three-point bending test, the flexural modulus and flexural strength of PLA/PP/CNT (60/40/2.5) were higher than PLA/PP (60/40) blend regardless of the mixing sequences.
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