| Abstract: | The crystallization behavior of intercalated Poly(L ‐lactide) (PLLA)/organo‐modified montmorillonite hybrids has been investigated in term of growth of spherulites and bulk crystallization. The PLLA hybrids were prepared via melt‐compounding between PLLA and montmorillonite organo‐modified (organoclay) with two different types of ammonium salts: trimethyl octadecyl‐ or bis(4‐hydroxy butyl) methyl octadecyl ammonium salts. The nucleation rate of PLLA crystallites is slightly enhanced by natural clay, while reduced by organoclay due to the shielding effect and/or miscibility between surfactants of clays and PLLA chains. The incorporation of small amount of organoclay in PLLA matrix shows a tendency to reduce slightly the growth rate and the overall crystallization rate of PLLA crystallites. The secondary nucleation theory was utilized to discuss the crystallization behavior of these hybrids. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 46:39–46, 2006. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers |
