INTEMA   05428
INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACIONES EN CIENCIA Y TECNOLOGIA DE MATERIALES
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Effect of Size Reinforcenment on the Behavior of Biodegradable Polymer Based Composites
Autor/es:
L. LUDUEÑA; A. VAZQUEZ; V. ALVAREZ
Lugar:
Salerno, Italia
Reunión:
Congreso; Polymer Processing Society, PPS-24; 2008
Resumen:
The study was based on the influence of the filler on the crystallization behavior and morphology the mechanical properties of the pure matrix. In this work composites of polycaprolactone with 5 wt.% of  agricultural cotton (macro); cellulose (micro) and nano-cellulose  and also two different commercial clays (nano): one unmodified (MMT) and another organically modified were prepared by melt-intercalation. It was determined that, whereas the macro and micro reinforcement produced a decrease on the crystallinity of the matrix, the nano-scale filler did not affect it. On the other hand, a clear decrease on the theoretical melting point took place in all cases; due to the presence of more heterogeneous nucleation that reduce the perfection of polycaprolactone crystallites but the effect was remarkable for higher-scale filler. The induction time, as well as, the half-crystallization time diminished when reinforcement was incorporated to the pure PCL; the higher the reinforcement scale, the higher the effect on both parameters. In the case of the nanocomposite; the clay dispersion degree, which is related to the filler/matrix compatibility, also affects both parameters. From the tensile tests; it is clear that the incorporation of all the fillers, except the nanocellulose, drive to a decrease on the tensile strength as well as an increase on the Young’s modulus.