Synthesis, Characterization, and Hydrolytic Degradation of Polylactide/Poly(ethylene glycol)/Nano-silica Composite Films

Abstract

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/PEG/nano-silica composite degradable films have been prepared by solvent casting method. IR measurements showed that vibration of C–O–C group was confined by silica network. SEM results showed that nano-silica particles were dispersed uniformly in the PLA/PEG matrix. TGA results indicated that the thermal decomposition temperature rose with the increase of nano-silica content. The tensile strength of composite film increased by the addition of nano-silica particles into PLA/PEG matrix. The degradation rate of PLA/PEG/nano-silica composites increased with the acidic medium of degradation. On the other hand, the slower degradation was obtained in the neutral buffer solution. PLA/PEG/nano-silica composites were found to exhibit almost similar degradation behavior as that of PLA/PEG films.

Keywords:

• Polylactide
• nano-silica
• composites
• mechanical properties
• hydrolytic degradation

Acknowledgment

The research was financially supported by the Carbon Dioxide Reduction and Sequestration R&D Center (the 21st Century Frontier R&D Program) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Korea.