ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Controlled preparation of Fe₃O₄/PLA composites and their properties

Lihui Yao, Yajuan Wang, Ya Li, Zhiqiang Jiang, and Dan Qiu

School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University of Technology, Ningbo, People’s Republic of China

E-mail: ylhttzj@hotmail.com

Received: 23 April 2021  Accepted: 27 July 2021

Abstract:

A series of Fe₃O₄/PLA composites are controllably prepared using consecutive reaction route. The neat PLA and its composites are characterized by FT-IR, WAXRD and XPS for composition analysis. The performances of PLA and Fe₃O₄/PLA composites are, respectively, determined by SEM, VSM, CAM, POM, DSC and TG. Fe₃O₄ particles are a good dispersion in the PLA matrix, and the saturation magnetization values of PLA have increased from 0.33 to 5.06 emu/g. When PLA is transformed into composites, the mean thickness of composites has decreased and water contact angle of composites has increased due to heavy and hydrophobicity Fe₃O₄. After addition of Fe₃O₄ particles, the 50 k, 100 k and 200 k PLA’s crystallization rate is severally increased to 1.84, 1.56 and 1.44 times. It is concluded that the Fe₃O₄ particles are the efficient crystallization nucleating agent of PLA and faster accelerate the crystallization of low molecular weight PLA in comparison with high molecular weight PLA. The melting points of Fe₃O₄/PLA composites slightly have decreased compared with the neat PLA, which is in accord with the melting point of the mixture that is lower than that of the pure substance. By introducing 5 mass% of Fe₃O₄ particles to PLA, the initial decomposition temperatures reached to higher temperatures as compared to the neat PLA, and the final char yield is about 4.60%. The well dispersion of the particles in the PLA matrix is thought to be an effective barrier to the permeation of heat, which would improve the thermal stability.

Keywords: Fe3O4/PLA composites; Consecutive reaction route; Composition analysis; Performances

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-021-01809-2

Chemical Papers 75 (12) 6399–6406 (2021)