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Oxygen Barrier PLA Nanocomposite Films and Effect of Gamma Irradiation

Fotookkiaei, Sara | 2012

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 43673 (06)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
  6. Advisor(s): Forounchi, Massoud; Dadbin, Susan
  7. Abstract:
  8. The present work investigates a novel approach for improving the oxygen-barrier property of PLA-based film using vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol copolymer [Poly(VAc-co-VA)] and the nanoclay Nanolin DK4. The permeability, thermal and mechanical properties are studied. To synthesize poly(VAc-co-VA), the hydrolysis of PVAc was done. The nanocomposite blend of PLA/Poly(VAc-co-VA)/Nanolin DK4 was prepared by the solution casting method. The prepared nanocomposite films were optically transparent regardless of poly(Vac-co-VA) and Nanolin DK4 concentrations. The gamma irradiated Poly(VAc-co-VA) was incorporated in the PLA films to probe the effect of cross-linked copolymer on the permeability of the PLA nanocomposite blend films. Effect of degree of PVAc hydrolysis and the nanoclay content on permeability, morphology and mechanical properties of the obtained nanocomposites were investigated. Gamma irradiation had no effect on mechanical and permeability properties of nanocomposite films. The results from the dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and tensile test showed and improvement in mechanical properties by adding copolymer and nanoclay. The results from the Oxygen permeability test showed that the barrier property of PLA improved by adding copolymer and nanoreinforcement. The Visible spectroscopy were carried out to investigate how the addition of the nanoreinforcement and copolymer would affect PLA as a packaging material. The results showed a reduction in the oxygen permeability for the nanocomposites. The amount of light being transmitted through the nanocomposites was not reduced compared to pure PLA indicating that the nanoreinforcements were fully exfoliated.



  9. Keywords:
  10. Polylactic Acid ; Nanoclay ; Barrier Properties ; Layered Silicate ; Polyvinylacetate-Vinyl Alcohol Copolymer

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