Effect of halloysite nanotubes on the thermal degradation behaviour of poly(ε-caprolactone)/poly(lactic acid) microfibrillar composites

• Published in: Polymer testing Vol. 60; pp. 166 - 172
• Main Authors: Luyt, Adriaan S., Kelnar, Ivan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Barking Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2017; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Catalysis; Extrusion; Free radicals; Halloysite nanotubes; Infrared analysis; Kinetics; Mixtures; Nanocomposites; Nanotubes; Poly(lactic acid); Poly(ε-caprolactone); Polylactic acid; Reaction kinetics; Thermal degradation; Poly(ε-caprolactone); Poly(lactic acid); Halloysite nanotubes; Nanocomposites; Thermal degradation
• ISSN: 0142-9418; 1873-2348
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymertesting.2017.03.027

This paper reports on the thermal degradation behaviour and kinetics of halloysite nanotubes containing microfibrillated poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/poly(lactic acid) (PLA) blends. It was found that the nanotubes probably catalyzed the PLA degradation, and that the free radicals formed during the PLA degradation initiated PCL degradation at lower temperatures, maybe in combination with halloysite nanotubes (HNT) catalysis. Drawing to form microfibrillated nanocomposites had little influence on the degradation behaviour of these materials, but pre-mixing of the HNT with PLA or PCL prior to melt-mixing and extrusion-drawing of the blends did influence the degradation behaviour, but in different ways. No evidence could be found that the presence and amount of HNT, or the mode of preparation, had an influence on the degradation mechanism, as evidenced through a Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis of the degradation products.