Improving Melt Strength of Polylactic Acid

• DOI: 10.3139/217.2667
• Publication Date: 2013-03-26T13:00:29Z
• Authors: X. Liu; L. Yu; K. Dean; G. Toikka; S. Bateman; T. Nguyen; Q. Yuan; C. Filippou
• Keywords: Polylactic Acid; Dispersity; Melt flow index; Molar mass distribution

Abstract Melt strength of polylactic acid (PLA) was improved through various modifications including grafting, crosslinking, chain extension, blending, plasticizing and nucleation. The results showed that melt increased, to varying degrees, by extension blending. In addition, strain (detected velocity) increased blending with elastomer, plasticizing, but decreased crosslinking. molecular weights, thermal properties viscosity the modified PLAs were also studied investigate causes observed variations in strength. Viscosity generally corresponded strength, not strain. With exception nucleation, had no significant effect on PLA. weight (in particular extremely large molecules representing M z ) polydispersity PLA significantly after crosslinking which accounts for increase