Role of Organically-Modified Zn-Ti Layered Double Hydroxides in Poly(Butylene Succinate-Co-Adipate) Composites: Enhanced Material Properties and Photodegradation Protection

• Published in: Polymers Vol. 13; no. 13; p. 2181
• Main Authors: Wang, Jie-Mao, Wang, Hao, Chen, Erh-Chiang, Chen, Yun-Ju, Wu, Tzong-Ming
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 30-06-2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Atmosphere; Biocompatibility; Biodegradation; Composite materials; Contact angle; Copolymers; Crystallization; Experiments; Fourier transforms; Hydrophobicity; Hydroxides; Image transmission; Infrared analysis; Ion exchange; Liquid chromatography; Material properties; Nanomaterials; Nitrates; Nitrogen; Nucleation; Photocatalysis; Photodegradation; Polymers; Stearic acid; Storage modulus; Ultraviolet radiation; United States > US; Japan; Zn-Ti LDH; photodegradation; biodegradable polymer; poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate)
• ISSN: 2073-4360; 2073-4360
• DOI: 10.3390/polym13132181

In this research, the effects of Zn-Ti layered double hydroxide (Zn-Ti LDH) as a UV-protection additive, which was added to the poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBSA) matrix, were investigated. Stearic acid was used to increase the hydrophobicity of Zn-Ti LDH via ion-exchange method. Transmission electron microscopy images of PBSA composites showed that modified Zn-Ti LDH (m-LDH) well-dispersed in the polymer matrix. Due to the effect of heterogeneous nucleation, the crystallization temperature of the composite increased to 52.9 °C, and the accompanying crystallinity increased to 31.0% with the addition of 1 wt% m-LDH. The additional m-LDH into PBSA copolymer matrix significantly enhanced the storage modulus, as compared to pure PBSA. Gel permeation chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed that the addition of m-LDH can reduce the photodegradation of PBSA.