Preparation and structural evaluation of nano reinforced composites from cellulose whiskers of grass and biodegradable polymer matrix

Abstract

Biocomposites of polylactic acid with cellulose whiskers from grass were prepared and reinforced with nanolayer-filled ionomer (Surlyn (R)). Three types of polymer composites were fabricated by filling the whiskers in polylactic acid at 5, 10, and 15% concentration. The analysis of resulting products was conducted by monitoring the functional group variation, crystallinity, and thermal behavior. The addition of clay-filled ionomer appeared to enhance the interfacial adhesion between filler and matrix by chemical and physical bonding. The migration tendency of different components inside silicate layers was also studied where the confinement of host polymer chains occurred between clay platelets, after modification through ionomer.