Influence of clay-nanofiller geometry on the structure and properties of poly(lactic acid)/thermoplastic polyurethane nanocomposites

Abstract

The effect of two clays with different geometries, viz. organophilized montmorillonite nanoplatelets (oMMT) and halloysite nanotubes (HNT), on the structure and properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) 80/20 and 70/30 has been studied. The reinforcement of both the components and the blend is higher for oMMT due to its higher specific surface area and aspect ratio. The effect of both nanofillers (NFs) on the structure, reflected in a decrease of the dispersed TPU size, is comparable. A larger effect on the viscosity by oMMT is eliminated by its more marked less favourable localization in the dispersed phase in comparison with HNT. The fact that the toughness of the HNT-containing nanocomposite (NC) is markedly higher (with maximum at 1% HNT) than that with oMMT is in contradiction with PLA NC. The results indicate that the application of nanofillers can lead to a polymer system with a balanced mechanical behaviour. However, a different impact of NFs on the polymer components and interface parameters may also lead to antagonistic effects. The influence of NFs, including their geometry, on the polymer blend is more complex in comparison with single-matrix nanocomposites.