• Advanced Composite Materials
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.377-384
• /
• 2007

'Green' composites were fabricated from poly lactic acid (PLA) and bamboo fibers by using a conventional hot pressing method. The insulating properties of the PLA-bamboo fiber 'green' composites were evaluated by determination of the thermal conductivity, which was measured using a hot-wire method. The thermal conductivity values were compared with theoretical estimations. It was demonstrated that thermal conductivity of PLA-bamboo fiber 'green' composites is smaller than that of conventional composites, such as glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRPs) and carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs). The thermal conductivity of PLA-bamboo fiber 'green' composites was significantly influenced by their density, and was in fair agreement with theoretical predictions based on Russell's model. The PLA-bamboo fiber composites have low thermal conductivity comparable with that of woods.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.67-78
• /
• 2006

Modification of polylactic acid (PLA) and 10% maleic anhydride (MAH) with 15% dicumyl peroxide (DCP) based on MAH weight was conducted in the kneader at $160^{\circ}C$ and 30~70 rpm, for 15 min. The resulting MAH-modified PLA (PLA-MA) was then evaluated as a compatibilizer for PLA-wood flour (WF) composites. The FTIR and $^1H$-NMR analysis gave evidence of PLA-MA formation. After kneading and reacting with MAH and DCP, the number (Mn) and the weight average (Mw) molecular weights of PLA decreased as compared to the original PLA. The presence of WF in the composites decreased the tensile strength and several other physical properties. The higher the WF loading resulted in the greater the reduction of tensile strength. An addition of 10% PLA-MA as a compatibilizer to the composites improved the tensile strength and several other physical properties, increased the flow temperature, and decreased the melt viscosity. The improved composite revealed 1.42 times increased in tensile strength but not over PLA alone, and absorbed considerably less water compared to those of the composites free-compatibilizer.

• Advances in materials Research
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.211-220
• /
• 2024

Polylactic acid or polylactide (PLA) is a biodegradable thermoplastic that can be produced from renewable material to create various components for industrial purposes. In 3D printing technology, PLA is used due to its good mechanical, electrical, printing properties, environmentally friendly and non-toxic properties. However, the physical properties and excellent electrical insulation properties of PLA have limited its application. In this study, with the carbon black (CB) as filler added into PLA, the lattice spacing and morphology were investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. The physical properties of PLA-carbon composite were evaluated by using tensile test, shore D hardness test and density and voids measurement. Impedance test was conducted to investigate the electrical properties of PLA-Carbon composites. The results demonstrate that the inclusion of carbon black as filler enhances the physical properties of the PLA-carbon composites, including tensile properties, hardness, and density. The addition of carbon black also leads to improved electrical conductivity of the composites. Better enhancement toward the electrical properties of PLA-carbon composites is observed with 1wt% of carbon black in N774 grade. The N550 grade with 2wt% of carbon black shows better improvement in the physical properties of PLA-carbon composites, achieving 10.686 MPa in tensile testing, 43.330 in shore D hardness test, and a density of 1.200 g/cm3 in density measurement. The findings suggest that PLA-carbon composites have the potential for enhanced performance in various industrial applications, particularly in sectors requiring improved physical and electrical properties.

• Composites Research
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.273-278
• /
• 2013

PLA/PP polymer blends in various ratios (PLA:PP = 9:1, 4:1, 3:1, and 1:1), and their composites (PLA:PP = 1:1) with sisal fiber (10, 15 and 20 wt%) were fabricated using MAPP as compatibilizer. The aim of the work was to reduce the cost of biodegradable composites as well as to improve the impact strength of PLA using PP, a relatively cheaper thermoplastic. The developed composites were characterized for their morphological and mechanical properties. The tensile strength and modulus of the blends were decreased with increasing PP content whereas the strain at break and impact strength are increased. The tensile strength, modulus and water absorption were increased for hybrid composites with increasing fiber content.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.107-113
• /
• 2018

In this study, the 3D printer filaments were manufactured by using the representative eco-friendly material, bio-composite. Bio-composites were made by incorporating biodegradable polymer of poly lactic acid (PLA) as the matrix and bamboo flour as the filler. The bamboos which were used in this experiment are Phyllostachys bambusoides, Phyllostachys nigra var. henonis, and Phyllostachys pubescen grown in Damyang district in Korea, and the mixture ratio between bamboo flour and PLA were set 10/90, 20/80, 30/70 by weight standard. Also, tensile strength of bamboo/PLA bio-composites manufactured with three kinds of bamboo were estimated and compared. In this result, the highest estimated bio-composites was Phyllostachys bambusoides flour/PLA which mixture ratio was 10/90, that is, it was the most suitable bamboo/PLA bio-composites for manufacturing 3D printer filament.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.155-163
• /
• 2009

This study examined the thermal stability of PLA-WF bio-composites. Wood flour (WF)-filled PLA bio-composites were reinforced with the flame retardants, Melamine pyrophosphate (MPP), resorcinol bis (diphenyl phosphate) (RDP) and zinc borate (ZB). The flame retardant was compounded with PLA and natural biodegradable filler. The thermal properties of the biodegradable polymer and bio-composites reinforced with the flame retardant were measured and analyzed by DSC, DMA and TGA. The results showed that the flame retardant-reinforced biodegradable bio-composite exhibited improved thermal properties.

• Elastomers and Composites
• /
• v.50 no.1
• /
• pp.62-67
• /
• 2015

The surface modification of microfibriled cellulose (MFC) was carried out through the hydrolysis-condensation reaction using (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APS) and 3-glycidyloxypropyltriethoxysilane (GPS) and then the modified cellulose was compounded with bio-degradable poly(lactic acid) (PLA). Also, pristine MFC was compounded with PLA as a control groups. The confirmation of surface modification for the pristine MFC was characterized by FT-IR and SEM/EDX. The thermal and mechanical properties of the PLA/MFC composites depended on the content of MFC and the type of silane coupling agents. From the thermal, morphological and mechanical behaviors of the PLA/MFC composites, it was found that GPS-MFC was more successful to improve the interface adhesion between PLA matrix and the surface of MFC than that of APS-MFC.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
• /
• v.24 no.2_1
• /
• pp.79-89
• /
• 2021

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is considered as one of the most promising bio-based polymers due to its high strength, high modulus, good processability, transparency after processing, and commercial availability. This study aimed to investigate the mechanical, thermal, and migration properties of poly(lactic acid)/zeolite (10 phr) composites prepared with various biocompatible plasticizers, such as triethyl citrate(TEC), tributyl citrate(TBC), and poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG400), through differential scanning calorimetry(DSC), thermo-gravimetric analysis(TGA) and standard tensile testing. The incorporation of PEG400 significantly increased the elongation at break, and DSC results showed that the addition of plasticizers drastically decreased the T_g of PLA/zeolite composites and improved the melt flow and processability. Besides, it was found from TGA results that PLA/zeolites composites plasticized by TEC and TBC were more easily to be thermally degraded than the composites plasticized by PEG400.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.275-282
• /
• 2021

High-molecular-weight maleic anhydride-grafted polylactic acids (HMMA-g-PLA) compatibilizers were prepared by melt grafting in a twin screw extruder using di(tert-butyl-perxoyisopropyl)benzene (PK-14; as initiator), maleic anhydride (MA), and divinylbenzene (DVB). To determine the properties of the prepared HMMA-g-PLA compatibilizers, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Melt index (MI), and back-titration analyses were performed. On increasing DVB concentration, grafting yield of HMMA-g-PLA increased but MI decreased because 𝛽-scission of PLA was restrained by the DVB, and thus, the molecular weight of HMMA-g-PLA increased. PLA-based wood-plastic composites (WPCs) were prepared using HMMA-g-PLA by melt blending through a single screw extruder. The flexural and impact strengths of WPCs compatibilized with HMMA-g-PLA were greater than those of WPCs produced without HMMA-g-PLA. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies indicated that increased mechanical properties were caused by excellent interfacial adhesion between PLA and wood fibers due to the addition of HMMA-g-PLA. However, rather high contents of HMMA-g-PLA reduced the mechanical properties of WPCs. We believe that lower molecular-weight of HMMA-g-PLA added as an compatibilizer, compared with PLA polymer, caused the reduction of mechanical properties.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.52 no.3
• /
• pp.205-220
• /
• 2024

Various polylactic acid (PLA) blends were reinforced with untreated or silane-treated micro-sized cellulose fiber (MCF), successfully prepared as 3D printing filaments and then printed using a fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printer. In this study, we focused on developing 3D-printed MCF/PLA composites through silane treatment of MCF and investigating the effect of silane treatment on the various properties of FFF 3D-printed composites. Fourier transform infrared spectra confirmed the increase in hydrophobic properties of silane-treated MCF by showing the new absorption peaks at 1,100 cm^-1, 1,030 cm^-1, and 815 cm^-1 representing C-NH₂, Si-O-Si, and Si-CH₂ bonds, respectively. In scanning electron microscope images of silane-treated MCF filled PLA composites, the improved interfacial adhesion between MCF and PLA matrix was observed. The mechanical properties of the 3D-printed MCF/PLA composites with silane-treated MCF were improved compared to those of the 3D-printed MCF/PLA composites with untreated MCF. In particular, the highest tensile and flexural modulus values were observed for S-MCF10 (5,784.77 MPa) and S-MCF5 (2,441.67 MPa), respectively. The thermal stability of silane-treated MCF was enhanced by delaying the initial thermal decomposition temperature compared to untreated MCF. The thermal decomposition temperature difference at T₉₅ was around 26℃. This study suggests that the effect of silane treatment on the 3D-printed MCF/PLA composites is effective and promising.