This study details the fabrication and foaming of biodegradable polylactide (PLA) and chitin composites. Three types of chitin were examined; as-received, chitin nano-whiskers and chitin nano-whiskers with a compatibilizing agent. The chitin and chitin composite morphology was characterized with transmission and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The thermal, rheological and mechanical behavior of the PLA-chitin composites was investigated. It was found that Chitin decreases the thermal and rheological stability of the composites. The stiffness of the composites was found to increase with increasing chitin content while the strength was found to decrease as a result of PLA hydrolysis. Biodegradable foams of PLA-chitin composites were produced and the expansion behavior was correlated with the visco-elastic observations. The statistical significance of chitin type and composition dependence on the mechanical properties and foam morphologies were evaluated.

Date Published: 28 April 2011
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 7978, Behavior and Mechanics of Multifunctional Materials and Composites 2011, 79780T (28 April 2011); doi: 10.1117/12.882013

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7978:
Behavior and Mechanics of Multifunctional Materials and Composites 2011
Zoubeida Ounaies; Stefan S. Seelecke, Editor(s)