Morphology and mechanical properties of polylactide nanocomposite: A comparative study

In this work, the influence of processing conditions on the mechanical properties is investigated with respect to degree of dispersion of layered silicate in a biodegradable polymer matrix. Polylactide (PLA) with 2% (w/w) organically modified montmorillonite (MMT) were prepared using the melt intercalation technique in an internal mixer. In order to optimise processing conditions; mixing time, mixing temperature and mixing speed were changed, leading to different degrees of dispersion. The morphology as well as mechanical properties of the materials prepared were characterised by use of transmission electron microscope (TEM), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and mechanical tests. Understanding the influence of processing conditions and the relationship between the degree of dispersion and the mechanical properties is needed for improving nanocomposite exfoliation/dispersion.