• Labidi, Jalel
• Rekondo, A.
• Grande, Hans-Jürgen
• Etxeberria Lizarraga, Agustin
• Mocholi, V.
• Montes, Sarah

Abstract

In the present work, cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and graphene nanoplatelets (GR) were combined in two different ratios and incorporated into polylactic acid (PLA) by melt blending technique, at a total loading level of 1 wt%. The obtained PLA-CNC/GR nanocomposites were further processed by hot pressing for manufacturing films. For comparison purposes, PLA-CNC, PLA-GR and PLA-T (PLA blended with the organic surfactant Triton X-100) compositions were also prepared following the same procedure. The produced materials were characterized by several techniques, including Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM). The mechanical properties assessment showed an increase of 8 and 11% in the Young’s modulus and tensile strength respectively for PLA- CNC/GR (ratio 50/50) film compared to PLA-T. The thermal properties were also positively influenced by the incorporation of both nanofillers. Similarly, the gas barrier properties were improved by 23% in Oxygen Transmission Rate (OTR) for films containing simultaneously CNC and GR. Finally, the antifungal properties were evaluated against Aspergillus Niger finding a superior antifungal activity in the CNC/GR hybrid films. The incorporation of CNC and GR in PLA showed a favourable impact in the overall properties of the obtained materials with only 1 wt% of nanofiller content. These results suggest that CNC/GR hybrid nanocomposites have a considerable potential in agricultural films or in food packaging trays applications

Topics

• nanocomposite
• Oxygen
• melt
• strength
• tensile strength
• cellulose
• surfactant
• hot pressing
• field-emission scanning electron microscopy