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Structure and mechanical properties in drawn poly( l ‐lactide)/clay hybrid films
Author(s) -
Fujimori Atsuhiro,
Ninomiya Naoya,
Masuko Toru
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
polymers for advanced technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.61
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1581
pISSN - 1042-7147
DOI - 10.1002/pat.1189
Subject(s) - organoclay , materials science , crystallite , crystallinity , montmorillonite , composite material , nanocomposite , transmission electron microscopy , polymer , elongation , nanotechnology , ultimate tensile strength , metallurgy
Films composed of poly( l ‐lactide) (PLLA)/organophilic montmorillonite hybrids (PLACHs) have been prepared via a melt‐compounding process, which is followed by uniaxial drawing at 90°C in air. In addition, an enhancement of the mechanical properties of these drawn PLACH films, which is expected to differ depending on the drawn ratios, is also estimated by dynamic viscoelastic measurements. Three different organoclay concentrations in the hybrid of 3, 5, and 9 wt% were investigated. The structural parameters for the PLLA crystallites in the drawn films, such as the c ‐axis orientation function ( f PLLA ) and crystallite size, were measured by X‐ray diffraction, and their drawn ratio ( λ ) and clay concentration dependence were examined from a textural viewpoint. Another orientation function ( f clay ) of the organoclay particles was obtained by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The values of f PLLA and crystallinity for PLLA sharply increased with λ for λ < 3, although f clay was unchanged during the initial stage of elongation. In the high‐ λ region (>5), the organoclay particles in the PLACHs started orienting themselves parallel to the draw direction. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.