Hyperbranched Polyglycidol- Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes via In Situ Polymerization on the Crystallization Behavior of PLA

Abstract

A hyperbranched polyglycidol-functionalized carbon nanotubes were synthesized via an anionicring-opening polymerization of ethylene glycol. Then polylactic acid nanocomposites were prepared by a solution blending method using carbon nanotubes modified with hyperbranched glycidol as a nucleating agent. The crystallization behavior of PLA composites was studied by DSC. Among them, the carbon Nanotubes modified by hyperbranched molecules has a better effect on improving the crystalline properties of polylactic acid. Compared with PLA, the crystallinity of the PLA composite with CNTs is increased by 5.9%, while the crystallinity of the PLA composite with HPG-CNTs is increased by 13.8%. The semi-crystallization time of HPG-modified CNT is 4.34% higher than PLA/CNTs and 11.2% higher than PLA. The existence of the nano-nucleating agent can effectively improve the crystallization rate of polylactic acid, which can improve the feasibility of polylactic acid in industrial processing.