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SELF-REINFORCED POLYLACTIC ACID (PLA) BIOCOMPOSITES WITH DEGRADATION SENSING

In this paper a new family of self-reinforced polymers (SR-Ps) are developed which are based on the biopolymer polylactic acid (PLA). A biodegradable biobased plastic with improved mechanical properties and the potential to sense biodegradation is obtained. The influence of processing and solid-state drawing on the mechanical properties of PLA tapes has been investigated. The results show that 180 o C is the optimal processing temperature as it limits degradation. Compared to isotropic PLA films, a 3 and 4 times increase in Young’s modulus and tensile strength have been achieved for the oriented tapes, respectively. Finally, carbon nanotubes (CNT) where used for the development of a smart composite system that can sense biodegradation. Electrical conductivity of these PLA/CNT nanocomposites increased with biodegradation and was correlated to mechanical property loss in a realistic application.