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Full-Text Articles in Biological Engineering

Preparation And Characterization Of Tapioca Starch–Poly(Lactic Acid) Nanocomposite Foams By Melt Intercalation Based On Clay Type, Siew-Yoong Lee, Han Chen, Milford Hanna Jan 2008

Preparation And Characterization Of Tapioca Starch–Poly(Lactic Acid) Nanocomposite Foams By Melt Intercalation Based On Clay Type, Siew-Yoong Lee, Han Chen, Milford Hanna

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Abstract Tapioca starch (TS), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), and four different organoclays (Cloisite 10A, Cloisite 25A, Cloisite 93A and Cloisite 15A) were used to produce nanocomposite foams by melt-intercalation. Structural, thermal, physical and mechanical properties were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and an Instron universal testing machine, respectively. The first XRD peaks for all four nanocomposite foams, were observed to shift to lower angles, indicating that intercalation occurred. The extent of intercalation depended on the type of organoclay and was exhibited in the sequence of Cloisite 10A > 25A > 93A > 15A. Glass transition temperatures …


Preparation And Characterization Of Tapioca Starch-Poly(Lactic Acid)-Cloisite Na+ Nanocomposite Foams, Siew-Yoong Lee, Milford Hanna Jan 2008

Preparation And Characterization Of Tapioca Starch-Poly(Lactic Acid)-Cloisite Na+ Nanocomposite Foams, Siew-Yoong Lee, Milford Hanna

Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

Tapioca starch, poly(lactic acid), and Cloisite NA+ nanocomposite foams, with four clay contents (1, 3, 5, 7, wt %), were prepared by melt-intercalation method. Selected structural, thermal, physical, and mechanical properties were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and an Instron universal testing machine, respectively. XRD results indicated that the 1 wt % nanocomposite foam did not show the characteristic basal reflection of the nanoclay. The 3, 5, and 7 wt % nanocomposite foams produced a mixture of intercalated and tactoid structures. The d001-spacing of 3, 5, 7 wt % nanocomposite foams …