Epoxidized natural rubber toughened poly(lactic acid)/halloysite nanocomposites with high activation energy of water diffusion

Poly(lactic acid)/halloysite nanotube (PLA/HNT) nanocomposites were prepared using melt compounding followed by compression molding. Epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) was used to toughen the PLA nanocomposites. The properties of PLA/HNT nanocomposites were characterized by impact tests, thermal analysis (DSC), morphological analysis (FESEM, TEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Water absorption tests were performed at three immersion temperature (30, 40, 50°C). The maximum water absorption (M_m), diffusion coefficient (D), and the activation energy of water diffusion (E_a) were determined. The impact strength of PLA/HNT6 nanocomposites was increased significantly to ～296% by the addition of 15 wt % ENR. The incorporation of HNT and ENR increase its nucleation effect and assist in the crystallization process of PLA. The HNT has good affinity with PLA and ENR, which was revealed by TEM and FTIR. The M_m of PLA was increased in the presence of HNT and ENR. Nevertheless, the D value and the E_a of the PLA nanocomposites were found to be affected by the HNT and ENR contents. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 42850.