Preparation, performance and structure-properties relationship of poly (lactic acid)/modified saponite nanocomposites based on thiol-ene click chemistry

ABSTRACT

Saponite (SA)-mercaptopropyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS-SH) grafted poly (L-lactic acid) (SA-POSS-PLLA) was synthesized by thiol-ene click chemistry. SA-POSS-PLLA was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. When 0.3 wt% SA-POSS-PLLA was used as a modifier in poly (lactic acid) (PLA), the impact strength and elongation at break of PLA/SA-POSS-PLLA nanocomposites were increased by 1.73 times and 4.25 times compared with pure PLA, respectively. The differential scanning calorimeter analysis showed that the crystallinity of PLA/SA-POSS-PLLA nanocomposites was increased from 7.74% to 30.32%. The addition of SA-POSS-PLLA increased the crystallization rate of PLA and significantly reduced the grain size of PLA, which also was proved by polarization optical microscopy analysis. Rheonaut technology for simultaneous rheometry and FTIR demonstrated that the reason why the addition of SA-POSS-PLLA nanoparticles accelerated the crystallization rate of PLA was that SA-POSS-PLLA nanoparticles promoted the adjustment of C-O-C structure and -CH₃ group in the main molecular chain of PLA.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Poly (lactic acid)
• saponite
• nanocomposites
• structure-properties relationship
• thiol-ene click chemistry

Acknowledgments

Financial support from the University Research Program of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China (XJEDU2018I003) is greatly acknowledged.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The raw/processed data required to reproduce these findings cannot be shared at this time as the data also forms part of an ongoing study.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the The University Research Program of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous Region of China [XJEDU2018I003].

Notes on contributors

Hao Li

Hao Li: Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Fine Chemicals, Ministry of Education and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, postgraduate student of School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xinjiang University.

Yikelamu Jilili

Yikelamu Jilili: Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Fine Chemicals, Ministry of Education and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, postgraduate student of School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xinjiang University. 

Weijun Zhen

Weijun Zhen: Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Fine Chemicals, Ministry of Education and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, professor of School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xinjiang University.

Ling Zhao

Ling Zhao: Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Fine Chemicals, Ministry of Education and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, professor of School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xinjiang University.