Self-reinforced Calcium Phosphate Cement Inspired by Sea Cucumber Dermis

A composite bone cement based onα-TCP with self-reinforcing characteristics is prepared by compounding cellulose whiskers and polyvinyl alcohol in different proportions.In this system,we are inspired by the sea cucumber,which can alter the stiffness of their inner dermis reversibly.Through the formation of hydrogen bonds between the hydroxyl groups on the cellulose whiskers and PVA,the bone cement matrix can be strengthened during the curing process of cement.In the process of bone cement blending,there is more water,the hydrogen bond connection is destroyed,so the slurry has better fluidity at this time.As the hydration of the bone cement progresses,the reduction of the water phase leads to the formation of a permeable network structure of hydrogen bond connections between the whiskers.The dual-phase action of PVA and whiskers greatly increases the mechanical strength of the bone cement system(5.5 to 23.8 MPa),while the presence of polyvinyl alcohol improves the toughness of the bone cement system.This work was supposed to explore whether the chemoresponsive materials can be adapted to biomedical materials,for example,bone repair.

Preparation and Characterization of Polylactide/Montmorillonite Nanocomposites

The montmorillonite, a form of layered silicate, was successfully intercalated into polylactide （PLA） matrix through solvent-casting technique. In addition, PLA/MMT nanocomposite films were produced, in which homogenous distribution of the silicate lamellae plays a key role in the mechanical properties of the films. A small amount（5wt%） of OMMT intercalated into the PLA matrix resulted in their flexibility enhancement, from 3.68%（pure PLA film） to 352.65%. The results of wide-angle X-ray diffraction （WAXD） patterns confirmed that the silicate interlayer distance increased from 3.044 nm （for OMMT） to 3.56nm （for 5wt%, maximum） with increasing OMMT contents, but decreased to 3.319 nm when OMMT content was over 8wt%. FT-IR also verified the molecular-level associations between PLA chains and OMMT lamellae by vibration variances of hydrogen bonding. DSC thermograms demonstrated that thermal stabilities of the nanocomposite films enhanced, due to the silicate lamellae dispersed into PLA matrix.

Dyes with high affinity for polylactide

Attempts were made to develop dyes with high affinity for polylactide as an alternative to the existent commercial disperse dyes. The dyes synthesized according to the affinity concept of dye to polylactide exhibited excellent dyeing properties on polylactide compared with the commercial disperse dyes.

Structure and Properties of Self-reinforced Material Made from Ultra-high Molecular Weight Polyethylene-montmorillonite Nanocomposite

High-strength and high-modulus ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene(UHMWPE), named self-reinforced material, was obtained by the elongation of UHMWPE-montmorillonite nanocomposite at melting temperature. According to the scanning electron microscope(SEM) analysis, a great deal of fibrillar texture formed in the direction of elongation, and the tensile fractured surface was similar to that of highly oriented fiber. The transmission electron microscope(TEM) and selective area electron diffraction(SAED) analyses reveal that the reinforced phase of the self-reinforced material is an extended chain crystal and its size is about 50_200 nm wide and several microns long, and the montmorillonite layers are broken up to pieces in the size from 100 to 10 nm. The broken layers which have a huge surface area interacting strongly with macromolecules reduces the entanglement density of UHMWPE and induces the chain orientation in flow field. It is supposed that the astriction of montmorillonite layers to polyethylene chains is not only end-tethered but also side-tethered. The differential scan calorimetry(DSC) analysis shows that there are two endothermal peaks for the self-reinforced material, of which the peak at a higher temperature(136.4 ℃) is ascribed to the melting of the reinforced phase.

Dyeability of Polylactide Fabric with Hydrophobic Anthraquinone Dyes

The dyeability of polylactide fabric has been investigated with the substituted aminoanthraquinone hydophobic dyes. Their application to the polylactide fabric led to good exhaustion values and good wash fastness between 4 and 3. MIcroscopic assessment ot cross-sections ot the dyed polylactlde fibres confirmed that these dyes could penetrate into the fibres. The nature of the substituted amino groups showed little influence on the wash fastness, but clearly influenced.the exhauslion and light fastness.

Improving Polylactide Toughness by Plasticizing with Low Molecular Weight Polylactide-Poly(Butylene Succinate)Copolymer

A low-molecular-weight polylactide-poly(butylene succinate)(PLA-PBS)copolymer was synthesized and incorporated into polylactide(PLA)as a novel toughening agent by solvent casting.The copolymer had the same chemical structure and function as PLA and it was used as a plasticizer to PLA.The copolymer was blended with PLA at a weight ratio from 2 to 10 wt%.Phase separation between PLA and PLA-PBS was not observed from their scanning electron microscopy(SEM)images and the crystal structure of PLA almost remained unchanged based on the X-ray diffraction(XRD)measurement.The melt flow index(MFI)of the blends was higher as the amount of PLA-PBS increased,indicating that the block copolymer did improve the mobility of the PLA chains.Moreover,tensile tests revealed that PLA with greater PLA-PBS copolymer exhibited higher elongation at break and it reached the maximum at 8 wt%of PLA-PBS in PLA,which was around 6 times higher than that of pure PLA.Furthermore,the glass transition temperature,measured by differential scanning calorimetry(DSC),markedly decreased with an increasing amount of the copolymer as it decreased from 61.2℃ for pure PLA to 41.3℃when it was blended with 10 wt%PLA-PBS copolymer.Therefore,the PLA-PBS copolymer was shown to be a promising plasticizer for fully biobased and toughened PLA.

Preparation of Hydroxyapatite/Polylactide Bicomposites by Absorption Process in Liquid Phase

The hydroxyapatite/polylactide biocomposites were prepared by absorption process in liquid phase. The method avoided many disadvantages, such as inaterfusion of chemical impurity substances, nonuniformity dispersal of HA in PLA, low molecular weight of PLA . HA particles were uniformly dispersed in PLA matrix, and showed well ndhesion with PLA matrix. The biocomposites have the higher mechanical properties and suitable decomposable capability.

Hybrid Composites of Phosphate Glass Fibre/Nano-Hydroxyapatite/Polylactide: Effects of Nano-Hydroxyapatite on Mechanical Properties and Degradation Behaviour

Hydroxyapatite/polylactide (HA/PLA) composites have been intensively investigated for their potential as biodegradable fixation devices to heal bone fractures. However, most of these composites failed to achieve a bone-mimicking level of mechanical properties, which is an essential demand of the targeted application. In this study, the nano-hydroxyapatite/polylactide composites were used as the matrix and continuous phosphate glass fibres (PGF) served as the major reinforcement to obtain the nano-HA/PGF/PLA hybrid composites. While the PGF volume fraction remained constant (25%), the nano-HA content (in weight) varied from 0% to 20%. As nano-HA loading increased, the flexural modulus of the composites increased from 8.70 ± 0.35 GPa to 14.97 ± 1.30 GPa, and the flexural strengths were enhanced from 236.31 ± 10.83 MPa to 310.55 ± 22.88 MPa. However, it is found that the degradation rates are higher with more nano-HA loaded. Enhanced water absorption ability, as well as increased voids in the composites is possible reasons for the accelerated degradation of composites with higher nano-HA loading. The hybrid composites possess mechanical properties that are superior to most of the HA/PLA composites in previous research while maintaining the biodegradability. With a proper loading of nano-HA in composites of 10 weight percent, the composites are also found with improved mechanical properties without catastrophic degradation. The composites developed in this study have great potential as biodegradable bone fixation device with enhanced load-bearing ability as confirmed and superior bioactivity as anticipated.

Study on the Properties of Esterified Corn Starch/Polylactide Biodegradable Blends

Fully bio-based and biodegradable starch/polylactic acid blends have received increasing attentions for their biodegradability and potential to offset the use of unsustainable fossil resources,specifically,their application in packaging.Herein,corn starch was first esterified with maleic anhydride and then compounded with polylactide(PLA)to prepare esterified corn starch/polylactic acid blends with starch content up to 35 wt%.The structures,morphologies,thermal and mechanical properties of starch or blends were investigated.The results showed that corn starch was successfully grafted with maleic anhydride,which showed increased crystallinity and particle size than native starch.Esterified corn starch/polylactic acid blends showed good surficial compatibility and good thermal stability with main decomposition temperature in the range of 300℃to 400℃.Additionally,incorporation of corn starch increased the hydrophilicity and water uptake of composites.However,the tensile and flexural strengths of blends decreased with increasing esterified starch amount.

Suitability of Blends from Virgin and Reprocessed Polylactide: Performance and Energy Valorization Kinet

A blending strategy of virgin and reprocessed polylactide may be postulated as an alternative to reduce the material cost at industrial level,and as a valorization route to plastic waste management of production scraps.The performance of blends prepared from virgin polylactide and polylactide mechanically reprocessed up to two cycles(PLA-V/R)was assessed in terms of thermo-oxidative stability,morphology,viscoelasticity and thermal kinetics for energetic valorization.PLA-V/R blends showed appropriate thermo-oxidative stability.The amorphous nature of polylactide was preserved after blending.The viscoelastic properties showed an increment of the mechanical blend effectiveness,which suggested the feasibility of using PLA-V/R blends under similar mechanical conditions to those of virgin PLA goods.Finally,it was shown that the energetic valorization of PLA-V/R blends would result in a more feasible process,due to the lower required activation energy,thus highlighting the advantages of the energetic demand for the process.In conclusion,PLA-V/R blends showed similar processability,service performance and valorization routes as virgin PLA and therefore could be relevant in the sustainable circular industry of bioplastics.

Amorphous Polylactide Bead Foam–Effect of Talc and Chain Extension on Foaming Behavior and Compression Properties

Polylactide(PLA)bead foams show a high potential regarding their applicability in packaging or consumer products.Concerning the comparable properties of PLA to Polystyrene(PS)and the good CO_(2) footprint it represents a potential alternative to petroleum-based polymer foams.However,foaming of PLA is challenging,due to its low melt strength,therefore chemical modifiers are often used.Concerning the bead foam technology regarding PLA,the available literature is limited so far.Within this study,the bead foaming behavior of neat and modified amorphous PLA was investigated.The material was modified by talc and an epoxy-based chain extender.These compounds have been investigated regarding their sorption behavior in CO_(2) atmosphere and their foaming behavior.Foaming was conducted by using the batch foaming method based on a rapid temperature increase after saturation with CO_(2).In order to achieve welded bead foams,a one-step processing for foaming and welding has been established.Finally,the compression properties of the PLA bead foams have been investigated.Densities below 50 kg/m^(3) for single bead foams and 80 kg/m^(3) for molded foams were achieved,respectively.

The Influence of Poly(Vinyl Alcohol)on Oil Release Behavior of Polylactide-Based Composites Filled with Linseed Cake

In order to limit the negative impact of industry on natural environment,ecological alternatives to conventional polymers are being proposed.One of the most popular“green”polymers is polylactide,which can also be successfully applied as a matrix of composites.The application of ground linseed cake as a filler for polylactide-based composites is in line with the idea of Circular Economy,and moreover it provides a modifying effect on the polymer by increasing its crystallinity and reducing its brittleness.This effect is caused by the presence of linseed oil which can be released to the polymeric matrix in a non-controlled way.In order to control the miscibility of the oil and the polymer,we modified the filler particles with poly(vinyl alcohol)before introducing it to the polylactide.We concluded that poly(vinyl alcohol),which does not mix with oil,encapsulated the active ingredients inside the filler particles.We evaluated the mechanical properties of the composites containing 5,10,20 and 30 wt%of the filler in a static tensile stress and by means of dynamic mechanical thermal analysis.Crystallinity and thermal properties were tested using differential scanning calorimetry as well as thermogravimetric analysis.Composites’microstructure was evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy.It was found that modifying the oil-rich filler with poly(vinyl alcohol)helps to reduce its release to the matrix and thus limits the plasticizing effect of linseed cake.This result was in accordance with our hypothesis.

Toddy Palm (Borassus Flabellifer) Fruit Fibre Bundles as Reinforcement in Polylactide (PLA) Composites: An Overview About Fibre and Composite Characteristics

Toddy palm fruit have an apparent density below 0.8 g/cm³and offer an interesting lightweight construction potential in polylactide(PLA)composites reinforced with 37 mass-%fibres.Single fibre bundles show similar mechanical properties compared with coir:tensile strength of 240 MPa,Young´s modulus of 3.8 GPa and an elongation at break of 31%.However,density and diameter(~50μm)of fruit fibre bundles are significantly lower.The compression moulded composites have a density of 0.9 g/cm³and achieved an unnotched Charpy impact strength of 12 kJ/m^(2),a tensile strength of 25 MPa,Young’s modulus of 1.9 GPa and an elongation at break of 9%.Due to the high porosity of the composites and the different stress-strain behaviour of fibre and matrix the fibre-reinforcement potential could not be fully used.Maximum stress of the composite was reached at the elongation at break of the PLA-matrix(~2%)while the fibre achieved its maximum stress at an elongation of~31%.After reaching the maximum stress of the composite,the fibres were pulled out from the matrix with low energy absorption,resulting in a decrease in stress and a limited reinforcement potential.Additionally,the study investigates whether an insect attack by the Asian fruit fly on the mesocarp has a significant influence on the mechanical fibre characteristics.The results have shown that only the rough surface of the fibre bundles is smoothed by insect infestation.The mechanical properties were not significantly affected.For this reason insect-infested fruits of the toddy palm,which are no longer suitable for food production,can be used for the production of sustainable composite materials.

Preparation and Characterization of Copolymer Micelles Formed by Poly(ethylene glycol)-Polylactide Block Copolymers as Novel Drug Carriers

Diblock copolymer poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether–polylactide (MePEG–PLA) micelles were prepared by dialysis against water. Indomethacin (IMC) as a model drug was entrapped into the micelles by dialysis method. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the prepared micelles in distilled water investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy was 0.0051 mg/mL which is lower than that of common low molecular weight surfactants. The diameters of MePEGPLA micelles and IMC loaded MePEGPLA micelles in a number-averaged scale measured by dynamic light scattering were 52.4 and 53.7 nm respectively. The observation with transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope showed that the appearance of MePEGPLA micelles was in a spherical shape. The content of IMC incorporated in the core portion of the micelles was 18% (ω). The effects of the synthesis method of the copolymer on the polydispersity of the micelles and the yield of the micelles formation were discussed.

Cellulose Nanocrystals-Coated Polylactide(PLA) Microspheres Obtained via a Pickering Emulsion Approach

In order to prepare cellulose nanocrystals( CNCs)-coated polylactide( PLA) microspheres for the use of drug delivery and tissue engineering,a Pickering emulsion route was applied. The stable Pickering emulsions were prepared using CNCs as efficient stabilizers without any additional surfactant. The microspheres were successfully fabricated after volatilization of the solvent. What's more,the size of microspheres could be controlled by fabrication parameters.

高结晶多孔聚乳酸粉末的制备及其压电催化性能

聚乳酸(PLA)是一种生物基生物可降解的压电高分子材料,在有机污水处理、组织修复再生等领域有望发挥重要作用,但电活性低、压电响应性差等性能缺点严重限制了其实际应用。基于此,本文以碳酸氢钠(NaHCO_(3))为发泡剂,基于左旋聚乳酸(PLLA)和右旋聚乳酸(PDLA)的低温熔融共混制备高结晶的多孔立构复合聚乳酸(SC-PLA)粉末,研究了NaHCO_(3)含量对粉末微观结构与压电催化性能的影响。结果发现,NaHCO_(3)的加入对SC-PLA粉末的结晶度(约40%)和形貌均没有明显影响,但可赋予粉末丰富的微孔结构,使其在外力作用下更容易形变,进而表现出优异的压电性能。添加质量分数30%的NaHCO_(3)即可使SC-PLA粉末的孔隙率由8.9%大幅增加到66.9%,开路电压从4.0 V显著提升至22.0 V。压电催化实验表明,这种高压电性的多孔SC-PLA粉末可在超声振动激发下介导大量活性氧化种(ROS)的生成,实现对有机染料的高效催化降解(靛蓝胭脂红的降解率高达93.2%)。

界面强化增容反应程度对PLA/PBAT共混物结构和性能的影响

通过熔融共混法将具有不同环氧含量的界面增容剂(Joncryl ADR-4400和Joncryl ADR-4468)引入聚乳酸(PLA)/聚对苯二甲酸-己二酸丁二醇酯(PBAT)共混物中,并采用转矩流变仪、傅里叶红外光谱仪、差示扫描量热仪、动态热机械分析仪、流变仪、电子万能试验机和扫描电子显微镜等仪器研究界面增容反应程度对PLA/PBAT共混物微观分子链行为及宏观性能的影响。结果表明,界面增容剂结构中的环氧基团通过与PLA和PBAT的羟基或羧基反应,在两相界面处形成微交联结构,增强两相界面的相互作用,最终提高共混物的力学性能。材料的宏观性能测试表明,与环氧当量较高的ADR-4400相比,ADR-4468的引入形成了更加完善的微交联结构,界面相互作用更强,使PLA/PBAT/ADR-4468共混物中PLA的玻璃化转变温度提高至54.7℃。当ADR-4468添加量为0.75%时,PLA/PBAT/ADR-4468共混物拉伸强度达36.4 MPa,断裂伸长率达302%,缺口冲击强度可达9.6 kJ/m^(2),较未改性PLA/PBAT分别提高18%、560%和69%,材料刚韧平衡性优良。

High Impact Polylactide Based on Organosilicon Nucleation Agent

Various sectors of the industry are searching for new materials with specific requirements,providing improved properties.The study presents novel composite materials based on polylactide that have been modified with the organosilicon compound,(3-thiopropyl)polysilsesquioxane(SSQ-SH).The SSQ-SH compound is a mixture of cage structures and not fully condensed random structures.The composite materials were obtained through injection moulding.The study includes a comprehensive characterization of the new materials that analyze their functional properties,such as rheology(MFR),mechanical strength(tensile strength,Charpy impact strength),and thermal properties.SEM microscopic photos were also taken to analyze the microstructure of the samples.The addition of a 5%by-weight organosilicon compound to polylactide resulted in a significant increase in MFR by 73.8%compared to the neat polymer.The greatest improvement in impact strength was achieved for the 5%SSQ-SH/PLA composite,increasing it by 32.0 kJ/m^(2)compared to PLA,which represents an increase of up to 187%.The conducted research confirms the possibility of modifying the properties of the polymer by employing organosilicon compounds.