Abstract: Effects of Adding Chain Extender on the Properties of Injection-Molded Solid and Microcellular Polylactide (2008 Annual Meeting)

Wednesday, November 19, 2008: 9:45 AM

Room 204-A (Pennsylvania Convention Center)

Shaoqin (Sarah) Gong, Departments of Mechanical Engineering & Materials, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI

Lih-Sheng Turng, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI

Liqiang Yang, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI

Adam Kramschuster, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI

Junghoo Lee, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI

Srikanth Pilla, Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI

The effects of adding epoxy-based chain-extender on the properties of injection-molded solid and microcellular polylactide (PLA) were studied. PLA and PLA with 8 wt% chain-extender (PLA-CE) were melt-compounded using a twin-screw extruder. Solid and microcellular specimens were produced via a conventional and microcellular injection molding process, respectively. Various characterization techniques were applied to study the static and dynamic mechanical properties, cell morphology, and crystallization behavior. The addition of chain-extender reduced the cell size and increased the cell density in the microcellular specimens. It also decreased the crystallinity of PLA and increased the decomposition temperature. In addition, adding chain-extender slightly enhanced the average values of specific strength, specific toughness, and strain-at-break for both solid and microcellular PLA specimens.

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See more of this Session: Biobased Material Composites: Processes and Product Applications I
See more of this Group/Topical: Forest and Plant Bioproducts Division