Development of Surface-Coated Polylactic Acid/Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PLA/PHA) Nanocomposites

Relinque Madroñal, José Javier
Sanz de León, Alberto
Hernández-Saz, J.
García-Romero, M.G.
Navas-Martos, Francisco J.
Morales-Cid, G.
Molina Rubio, Sergio Ignacio

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Publication date

March 2019

DOI

10.3390/polym11030400

Publisher

MDPI AG

Journal

Polymers

Abstract

This work reports on the design and development of nanocomposites based on a polymeric matrix containing biodegradable Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) coated with either Graphite NanoPlatelets (GNP) or silver nanoparticles (AgNP). Nanocomposites were obtained by mechanical mixing under mild conditions and low load contents (<0.10 wt %). This favours physical adhesion of the additives onto the polymer surface, while the polymeric bulk matrix remains unaffected. Nanocomposite characterisation was performed via optical and focused ion beam microscopy, proving these nanocomposites are selectively modified only on the surface, leaving bulk polymer unaffected. Processability of these materials was proven by the fabrica...