Mechanical Property Evaluation of Glass-carbon-durian Skin Fiber Reinforced Polylactic Acid Composites

The main objective of this work was to study and develop composite materials by experiments with mixtures of synthetic(glass fiber, carbon fiber) and natural fiber(durian skin fiber) reinforcements on a polylactic acid(PLA) matrix composite, because of its excellent mechanical properties. Durian skin fiber(DSF) is a natural waste throughout Thailand, and an alternative to recycling is to realize its potential as a new reinforcement through mixing and the injection molding processes. The flexural strength(σ_(F)) and flexural modulus(E_(F)) of the composites from specimens showed a maximum value by content of durian skin fiber at 10 wt%, for good performance relative to particle dispersion between the matrix and the fiber, and showed a minimum value by content of durian skin fiber at 20 wt%, because the reinforcement material affects the mechanical properties in the experiments.

Preparation and Performance of Pueraria lobata Root Powder/Polylactic Acid Composite Films

Petroleum-based materials,such as plastic,are characterized by adverse environmental pollution;as a result,researchers have sought alternative degradable plastics that are environmentally friendly,such as polylactic acid(PLA).PLA has shown great potential to replace petroleum-based plastics.In this study,seven different samples of unmodified Pueraria lobata root powder(PRP)with different contents(i.e.,0,5,10,15,20,25,and 30 wt%)and three different modified PRPs(i.e.,treated with NaOH,NaOH-KH-550,and Formic)were used to reinforce polylactic acid(PLA)via solution casting process.These prepared PRP/PLA composite films were characterized using SEM,FTIR,UV-visible spectra analysis,TG,DSC,weight loss measurement(wt%),and mechanical measurements.The results showed that the PRP modified with KH-550(PRPK)intensified the interaction in the interface region between the PRP and the PLA matrix,thus increasing the tensile strength(54.5 MPa),elongation at break(2.8%),and Young’s modulus(3310 MPa)of the PRPK/PLA biofilms.Contact angle measurement showed that the PRP treatments contributed to the hydrophobicity of films.The transparency of PRP-10/PLA film atλ_(800)was 11.09%,and its UVA and UVB transmittance were 3.28 and 1.16,respectively.After blending PLA with PRP,the PRP/PLA composite films exhibited excellent biodegradability.In summary,PRPK improved the mechanical properties of PLA and prevented the films from ultraviolet light,suggesting that PRPK-5/PLA film could be used as packaging materials.

3D printing of personalized polylactic acid scaffold laden with GelMA/autologous auricle cartilage to promote ear reconstruction

At present,the clinical reconstruction of the auricle usually adopts the strategy of taking autologous costal cartilage.This method has great trauma to patients,poor plasticity and inaccurate shaping.Three-dimensional(3D)printing technology has made a great breakthrough in the clinical application of orthopedic implants.This study explored the combination of 3D printing and tissue engineering to precisely reconstruct the auricle.First,a polylactic acid(PLA)polymer scaffold with a precisely customized patient appearance was fabricated,and then auricle cartilage fragments were loaded into the 3D-printed porous PLA scaffold to promote auricle reconstruction.In vitro,gelatin methacrylamide(GelMA)hydrogels loaded with different sizes of rabbit ear cartilage fragments were studied to assess the regenerative activity of various autologous cartilage fragments.In vivo,rat ear cartilage fragments were placed in an accurately designed porous PLA polymer ear scaffold to promote auricle reconstruction.The results indicated that the chondrocytes in the cartilage fragments could maintain the morphological phenotype in vitro.After three months of implantation observation,it was conducive to promoting the subsequent regeneration of cartilage in vivo.The autologous cartilage fragments combined with 3D printing technology show promising potential in auricle reconstruction.

Properties enhancement of antimicrobial chitosan-deposited polylactic acid films via cold plasma treatment

The present study aimed to understand the effect of dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma(DBD-CP)technology on the antimicrobial chitosan deposition and the properties enhancement of polylactic acid(PLA)films.The results indicated that DBD-CP was an effective method for improving the adhesion and surface hydrophilicity of PLA,facilitating the deposition of chitosan coating.This modification was attributed to the increased surface roughness,as well as the presence of polar functional groups observed through atomic force microscopy,surface free energy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis.The study further revealed that both water resistance and mechanical properties were significantly improved after DBD-CP treatment,which was positively correlated with the amount of chitosan deposited on the PLA surfaces.Following comprehensive evaluation,the treatment at 75 W was determined as the optimal condition for enhancing the properties.Additionally,the modified film exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus.Consequently,the DBD-CP technology could be a promising tool for better utilization of PLA-based materials in the antibacterial food packaging industry.

Biodegradation and Mechanical Property of Polylactic Acid/Thermoplastic Starch Blends with Poly (ethylene glycol)

The effects of adding poly （ethylene glycol） （PEG） into polylactic acid/thermoplastic starch blends （PLA/TPS） on the properties were investigated by DSC, SEM and mechanical property-testing. The blends of PLA/TPS blended with increasing content PEG exhibited lower temperature of glass transition （T） and lower temperature of melting （T） as well as higher melt flow index （MFI）, which indicates the plasticization and proeessability of the composites were dramatically improved. The tensile strength, flexural strength and izod impact strength of PLA/TPS （80/20） increased at first and then decreased with increasing content of PEG due to stronger interfacial adhesion. The optimized mechanical property can be obtained for the blend with 3 wt % PEG. The samples containing PEG after soil burial for 5 months showed quicker degradation being accompanied with large weight loss and mechanical properties loss.

Effect of Starch/Polylactic Acid Ratio on the Interdependence of Two-Phase and the Properties of Composites

Starch/polylactic acid(PLA) composites were prepared by melt extrusion, with corn starch and PLA as raw materials, glycerol as the plasticizer. Effects of starch/PLA ratio on the interdependence of two-phase and other properties of the composites were studied. The combination of results of TGA with SEM indicated that the interdependence between starch and PLA was increased gradually as the starch/PLA ratio reduced. DSC results showed that the glass transition temperature(Tg), melting temperature(Tm) and degree of crystallinity of PLA in composites were increased gradually, whereas the cold crystallization temperature(Tc) was gradually decreased as the starch/PLA ratio reduced. The rheological properties of composites were closely related with the interdependence of two-phase, with reducing starch/PLA proportion, the interdependence was increased, and then the strain for storage modulus was firstl reduced and then gradually increased. Frequency scanning showed that the storage modulus and complex viscosity were decreased with reducing starch content. As the starch/PLA ratio reduced, the matrix phase PLA was increased, so that the strength of composites was increased gradually, whereas water absorption rate was decreased gradually.

Release performance and sustained-release efficacy of emamectin benzoate-loaded polylactic acid microspheres

High-performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） was employed to determine drug release rates based on emamectin benzoate concentrations in the medium. Release kinetics equations were used to fit the drug release behavior. The effects of particle size and release medium pH on the release rate were also investigated. The indoor toxicity of emamectin benzoate-loaded polylactic acid microspheres on the diamondback moth larva （Plutella xylostella） was studied to explore drug sustained-release performance. In acidic and neutral media, the drug release behavior of the microspheres was in accord with the first-order kinetics equation. Increasing the spray dosage of emamectin benzoate-loaded polylactic acid microspheres initially resulted in an equivalent insecticidal efficacy with the conventional emamectin benzoate microemulsion. However, the drug persistence period was four-fold longer than that observed using the conventional formulation. The developed emamectin benzoate-loaded polylactic acid microspheres showed dramatic sustained-release performance. A treatment threshold of greater than 35 mg mL-1 was established for an efficient accumulated release concentration of emamectin benzoate-loaded microspheres.

Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Hydrolytically Degradable Polyesters

Six novel hydrolytically degradable polyesters were synthesized from thiodipropionic acid(TDPA)and five diols by melt polycondensation,and characterized by FT-IR,1H NMR,gel permeation chromatography,differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry analysis.The polystyrene-equivalent number-average(Mn)and weight-average molecular weight(Mw)of these polyesters ranged from 4900-11100 Da and 7900-20879 Da,respectively,with PDI values of 1.48-1.98.The melting point varied from 62.3-127.9℃,and the 50%mass-loss temperature ranged between 387-417℃.The degradation of these polyesters was studied in terms of relative weight loss in distilled water at different pH.Weight losses of 14%-26%were obtained at pH 7.0,26%-38%at pH 6.0,and 32%-43%at pH 8.3 over a 20-week period.The ecotoxicity study suggested that safety of the synthesized polyesters for the eisenia foetida.These results indicate that these polyesters have a combination of good thermal and degradability behaviors,which can be tailored through selection of the diol monomers used in the synthesis.

Thermal Decomposition and Kinetics of Mixtures of Polylactic Acid and Biomass during Copyrolysis

polylactic 酸(PLA ) 的热分解面对松木头锯屑(PS ) 被学习，核桃壳(WS ) ，玉米的穗轴(CC ) 以便理解发生在废物的这些部件的 pyrolytic 行为。一个 thermogravimetric 分析器(TGA ) 被申请监视在加热下面的侧面 10 漠 ? 评估的集体损失 ? 敢瑳吗？

Polylactic Acid Nanoparticles Targeted to Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells

In this work, blank polylactic acid （PLA） nanoparticles with unstained surface were prepared by the nano-deposition method. On the basis of the preparation, the effect of surface modification on brain microvascular endothelial cells （BMECs） targeting was examined by in vivo experiments and fluorescence microscopy. The results showed that PLA nanoparticles are less toxic than PACA nanoparticles but their BMECs targeting is similar to PACA nanoparticles. The experiments suggest that drugs can he loaded onto the particles and become more stable through adsorption on the surface of PLA nanoparticles with high surface activity. The surface of PLA nanoparticles was obviously modified and the hydrophilicity was increased as well in the presence of non-ionic surfactants on PLA nanoparticles. As a targeting moiety, polysobate 80 （T-80） can facilitate BMECs targeting of PLA nanoparticles.

Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Apocynum and Ramie Fiber Mat Reinforced Polylactic Acid Composites

With the increasing awareness of environmental protection and rational utilization of resources,natural fiber reinforced composites have shown broad development prospects.Apocynum fiber,known as the“king of wild fiber”,not only has moisture absorption,air permeability,and good mechanical properties but also has many health-related advantages such as antibacterial properties.In this study,four types of needle-punched Apocynum fiber and ramie fiber mat reinforced polylactic acid(PLA)composites were fabricated.Mechanical and thermal properties of the composites were tested and analyzed.The results showed that compared with those of the ramie fiber finish needle-punched mat reinforced composites,the tensile strength and the tensile modulus of Apocynum fiber finish needle-punched mat reinforced composites had increased by 15.3%and 60.1%,respectively.In comparison,the bending strength and the bending modulus were decreased by 21.8%and 7.6%,respectively.Moreover,compared with the Apocynum fiber finish needled-punched mat reinforced composites and the ramie fiber finish needle-punched mat reinforced composites,the Apocynum 50/ramie 50 finish needle-punched mat reinforced composites had the best tensile and bending properties.The after-fracture morphology was detected by a scanning electron microscope(SEM).The thermal properties of the composites were also characterized.It was found that the thermal properties of the four types of composites showed very similar behaviors.

The UV Aging Properties of Maleic Anhydride Esterified Starch/Polylactic Acid Composites

Esterified starch/polylactic acid（ES/PLA） blending composite was prepared by melting extrusion with maleic anhydride esterified starch and PLA as the raw materials. The composite was accelerated aging by using UV aging box, and its properties were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy（FT-IR）, scanning electron microscopy（SEM）, X-ray diffraction（XRD）, thermo gravimetric analysis（TGA） and mechanical testing machine. FT-IR and SEM results show that the infrared absorption peak intensities of C-O, C-H, and C=O in aged samples decrease gradually with increasing aging time. The damage degree of surface and internal of aged samples increases gradually. XRD analysis results show that after aging treatment, the crystalline diffraction peak of thermoplastic esterified starch at 2θ = 21° disappears and the diffraction peaks of PLA at 2θ = 16.5° appear, indicating that the hydrolysis rate of esterified starch is greater than that of PLA. The crystallinity of PLA in aged sample shows an increasing trend at first followed by a decreasing one along with the increasing time of aging treatment, suggesting that the hydrolysis of amorphous regions of PLA is more preferential than its crystalline regions. Because of the influence of crystal structure and the change of composition structure, the initial decomposition temperature of aging test specimen gradually increases with the extension of aging time. The maximum decomposition rate temperature and residual mass increases at first, and then decrease after the aging time extending to 1600 h. As the aging time increases, the damage degree of combination interface between esterification starch and PLA is exacerbated, resulting in the tensile strength and bending strength of aged specimen decreasing gradually.

Degradation behaviors,thermostability and mechanical properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/polylactic acid blends

It is difficult for polyethylene terephthalate(PET)to degrade,which caused severe pollution.In this work,polylactic acid(PLA)was introduced to improve the degradation of PET.PET/PLA was synthesized by extrusion blending.The thermal,crystalline and mechanical properties of blends were investigated with TGA,DSC,WAXD and universal testing machine.The degradation of the blends in soil,acid and alkaline buffer solutions was assessed,respectively.It was found that the introduction of a little PLA promoted crystallization of PET during injection molding process.The starting decomposition temperature lowered from 412.1 °C of pure PET to 330.4 °C at 50% PLA content,tensile and bending strength of blends gradually decreased with the PLA content increasing,while the degradation rate improved.Alkaline environment was most beneficial for blends to degrade.The degradation mechanism was discussed.

Battle against Aging and Folds: Benefit and Risks of the Semi-Permanent Fillers Polylactic Acid and Calcium Hydroxylapatite

Background: Semi-permanent fillers are among the most favorable fillers on the market. Through their unique mode of action and its associated lasting aesthetic effect, they take an exceptional position. Objective: To compare the two semi-permanent fillers Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA) and calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) in reference to the aesthetic result, patient satisfaction and side effects. Methods: Studies on side effects, patient satisfaction and aesthetic results after augmentation with semi-permanent fillers were analyzed. Results: Semi-permanent fillers seem excellently suited for the augmentation of very deep wrinkles particularly in the lower half of the face. In general, high patient satisfaction can be determined with both fillers. Here, the effect from the polylactic acid can be verified for up to two years while no effect could be verified already after one year in a majority of the patients augmented with CaHA. Short-term side effects such as bleedings or erythema in the region of the augmented area have been observed in both fillers during augmentation. The incidence of nodules and granulomas seems significantly higher in augmentations with PLLA compared to CaHA. Rare side effects such as an embolization of a blood vessel caused by the implant have been described for both fillers in case reports. Conclusion: Semi-permanent fillers are superbly suited for wrinkle augmentation. Which filler is the preferred one in what case depends strongly on the individual needs of the patient and the therapist’s experience.

Preparation and Properties of Heat Resistant Polylactic Acid(PLA)/Nano-SiO2 Composite Filament

In order to improve the thermal properties of polylactic acid（PLA） filament,nano-SiO_2 was applied to mix with PLA,then they were spun as composite filament by melt-spinning.The dispersion of nano SiO_2 and the fracture surfaces of filaments were studied by scanning electron microscopy（SEM）.The properties of composite filament,such as orientation degree,mechanical properties,and surface friction properties,were analyzed.The thermal performances of composite filament were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry（DSC） and thermo gravimetric analysis（TGA）.The results showed that the nano-SiO_2 modified by 5% KH-550 could disperse evenly and loosely in nano-scale,and 1 wt% and 3 wt% nano-SiO_2 dispersed throughout PLA evenly.As the quantity of nano-SiO_2 increased,the properties of composite filament,such as orientation degree,friction coefficient,thermal decomposition temperature,and glass transition temperature,increased more or less.The breaking tenacity increased when 1 wt% SiO_2 was added in PLA,but declined when 3 wt% SiO_2 was added.

Preliminary Study on Lipase-catalyzed Synthesis of Polyesters Containing L-Malic Acid Units

Terpolymer of 1, 8-octanediol, adipic acid, and L-malic acid was synthesized via a lipase-catalyzed direct polycondensation. The products were characterized by GPC and 1H NMR. The results indicated that the molecular weight of the prepared polymers decreased with increasing L-malic acid content in the monomer feed ratio, and that change in the L-malic acid content from 0 to 20 mol % did not remarkably influenced on the molecular weight distribution Mw /Ma of the prepared samples. The 1H NMR spectra of the obtained copolymer samples showed that hydroxyl groups of L-malic acid did not take part in the polymerization reaction.

Preparation of Nano-composites Membranes with Graphic Oxides and Polylactic Acid

Organic polymer materials were used as a layer of adhesive into the graphene sheet between the layers to enhance the interaction force between the nano-structure to achieve excellent mechanical properties and barrier properties. PLA with good flowability and easy processing was selected. The mechanical properties and barrier properties of the graphene-based composites were improved by the use of PLA for good flowability, making it easy to enter the GO layer as a binder. Three methods of preparation of GO/PLA homogeneous composite membranes were designed by vacuum filtration. The experimental results show that the injection of PLA as a molecular binder into the GO layer can effectively mimic the nano-structure, and enhance the intergranular force of the graphene molecules and the compatibility with the polymer matrix.

Green Modification of Cellulose Nanocrystals and Their Reinforcement in Nanocomposites of Polylactic Acid

Cellulose nanocrystals(CNCs) of rod-like shape were prepared from degreased cotton using sulfuric acid hydrolysis. The obtained CNC suspension was neutralized using a sodium hydroxide solution to remove the residual sulfuric acid and improve the thermal stability of the CNC particles. Then, poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO) was employed to modify the nanocrystals through entanglement and physical adsorption. The goal was to further improve the thermal stability and weaken the hydrophilicity of CNCs. Original and modified CNCs were dosed into a polylactic acid(PLA) matrix to prepare nanocomposites using a hot compression process. Results of the thermogravimetric analysis showed that the initial thermal decomposition temperature of the modified CNCs showed a 120℃ improvement compared to the original CNCs. That is, the thermal stability of the modified CNCs improved because of their shielding and wrapping by a PEO layer on their surface. Results from scanning electron microscopy and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry showed that the compatibility of the modified CNCs with organic PLA improved, which was attributed to the compatibility of the PEO chains adsorbed on the surface of the CNCs. Finally, the results of tensile tests indicated a significant improvement in terms of breaking strength and elongation at the break point.

ERYTHROMYCIN POLYLACTIC ACID MICROSPHERES FOR LUNG TARGETING

AIM: To prepare polylactic acid microspheres of Erythromycin for Lung targeting.METHEDS: The orthogonal test design was used to optimize the technology,of preparation. Thecharacter of the microspheres, drug release in vitro, stability and tissue distribution were examinedRESULTS: The Erythromycin polylactic acid microspheres was regular in its morphology. Drugwas enveloped in microspheres but not physically mixed with PDLLA. The average particle size was11.65μn with over 94% of the microspheres being in the range of 5～20trn; The drug loading andthe incorporation efciency were 18% and 60% respectively. The microspheres were stable for threemonth at 4 ℃ and room temperature. The in vitro release properties could be expressed by theHiguchi's equation: y = 28.067 + 3.8515t11/2 (r = 0.9834). Comparing with injection, the drug inmicrospheres was more concentrated in lung tissue. CONCLUSION: Erythromycin polylactic acidmicrospheres showed significant sustained release and lung targeting.

Preparation and Properties of Polylactic Acid( PLA) /Nano-SiO_2 Composite Master Batch with Good Thermal Properties

In order to improve the thermal properties of polylactic acid( PLA) master batch,the nano-SiO2 was applied to mixing with PLA. The structure and thermal properties of the composite master batches were studied. The results showed that the nano-SiO2 modified by 3% coupling agent KH-570 could be dispersed evenly in PLA in small scale. The thermal decomposition temperature of composite master batches increased by 6. 20-10. 80 ℃, the glass transition temperature increased by 0. 22-5. 16 ℃,and the heat enthalpy at the glass transition temperature increased by 0. 574-2. 437 J /g,compared with pure PLA. The composite master batch possessed superior thermal stability and heat resistance.