Influence of cellulose nanowhiskers on the hydrolytic degradation behavior of poly( d, l-lactide)

• Published in: Polymer degradation and stability Vol. 96; no. 9; pp. 1631 - 1638
• Main Authors: Luiz de Paula, Everton, Mano, Valdir, Pereira, Fabiano Vargas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: absorption; Applied sciences; biodegradability; Bionanocomposite; biopolymers; Cellulose; Cellulose nanowhiskers; Composites; Degradation; durability; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; Hydrolytic degradation; Nanocomposites; nanocrystals; Nanomaterials; Nanostructure; Phosphates; Poly( d, l-Lactide); polylactic acid; Polylactides; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Service life; Technology of polymers; temperature; weight loss; Hydrolytic degradation; Cellulose nanowhiskers; Poly( d, l-Lactide); Bionanocomposite; Biological properties; Optically active polymer; Biodegradability; Cellulose; Chemical degradation; Experimental study; In vitro; Lactone polymer; Composite material; Nanowhisker; Thermal stability; Hydrolysis; Thermal properties; Lactic acid polymer; Poly(D,L-Lactide); Aliphatic polymer; Concentration effect; Water absorption; Nanocomposite; Nanocrystal
• ISSN: 0141-3910; 1873-2321
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2011.06.006

This paper reports the preparation of bionanocomposites based on poly(
d,
l-lactide) and cellulose nanowhiskers (PDLLA/CNWs) and studies the influence of the CNWs on the hydrolytic degradation behavior of the polylactide. The hydrolytic degradation process was studied in a phosphate buffer medium through the sample weight loss and also by FTIR, DSC and TGA measurements. The presence of CNWs induced a strong delay in the hydrolytic degradation of the PDLLA, even when the concentration of the nanofillers was only 1%. This effect was related to the physical barrier created by the highly crystalline CNWs that inhibited water absorption and hence retarded the hydrolytic degradation of the bionanocomposites. In addition, the incorporation of cellulose nanocrystals in the PDLLA also made the biopolymer more thermally stable, increasing the initial temperature of mass loss even after the degradation in phosphate medium. The results presented here show the possibility of controlling the biodegradability and prolonging the service life of a polylactide through the incorporation of a small quantity of nanofillers obtained from renewable materials.