PLA/halloysite bio-nanocomposite films

What is it about?

The usage of biopolymers in developing biodegradable materials for applications that meet demands in society for sustainability and environmental safety has been limited due to the poor mechanical and thermal properties of biopolymers. This study aimed to improve the limited properties of biopolymers, particularly polylactic acid (PLA) films, by investigating the effect of incorporating different concentrations of halloysite nanoclay and by adding glycerol plasticiser on the mechanical properties and thermal properties of the produced bio-nanocomposite films. It was found that the addition of halloysite nanoclay and glycerol improved the mechanical and thermal properties of the films. The bionanocomposite films produced in this work have the potential to replace non-biodegradable films due to the improved properties of the films.

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