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Preparation and Microstructural Analysis of Polymer-Based Nanocomposites

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Composites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2025 | Viewed by 1016

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore
Interests: polymer nanocomposites; polymer foams; waste valorization; polymer processing; reactive extrusion
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nanomaterial-reinforced polymer nanocomposites have surged in popularity within the realm of materials science development. The substantial surface area and effective interaction of nanomaterials with the macromolecular structures of polymers have ignited a diverse range of functionalities in polymer nanocomposites, making them well-suited for a wide range of applications in our daily lives.

The exploration and application of nanomaterials to customize the properties of various polymer types, whether conventional or bio-based, have yielded highly promising outcomes. These advancements encompass enhanced mechanical properties, improved electrical conductivity, captivating optical properties, antimicrobial capabilities, and more, where these properties are typically unattainable by the pristine polymer alone.

The transformative potential of nanomaterials covers a wide spectrum, encompassing metallic and ceramic nanoparticles, carbon-based wonders such as carbon nanotubes and graphene, and bio-inspired nanomaterials such as chitosan nanoparticles and cellulose nanocrystals. This diverse repertoire of nanomaterials propels innovations, driving significant advancements in the development of polymer nanocomposites across various advanced applications.

The interdependence between microstructure morphology and the final properties of the developed polymer nanocomposites is significant. This Special Issue focuses on the examination and study of microstructure tailored to both macro and nano levels in prepared polymer nanocomposites for achieving desired end-properties.

Dr. Boon Peng Chang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • polymer
  • nanocomposite
  • nanofiller
  • nanocomposite foam
  • polymer film
  • bio-based
  • nanofiber
  • hybrid nanocomposite
  • nanostructure

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

48 pages, 15237 KiB  
Review
The Development of Poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-Based Blends and Modification Strategies: Methods of Improving Key Properties towards Technical Applications—Review
by Jacek Andrzejewski, Subhasis Das, Vitali Lipik, Amar K. Mohanty, Manjusri Misra, Xiangyu You, Lay Poh Tan and Boon Peng Chang
Materials 2024, 17(18), 4556; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17184556 - 17 Sep 2024
Viewed by 748
Abstract
The widespread use of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) from packaging to engineering applications seems to follow the current global trend. The development of high-performance PLA-based blends has led to the commercial introduction of various PLA-based resins with excellent thermomechanical properties. The reason for this [...] Read more.
The widespread use of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) from packaging to engineering applications seems to follow the current global trend. The development of high-performance PLA-based blends has led to the commercial introduction of various PLA-based resins with excellent thermomechanical properties. The reason for this is the progress in the field of major PLA limitations such as low thermal resistance and poor impact strength. The main purpose of using biobased polymers in polymer blends is to increase the share of renewable raw materials in the final product rather than its possible biodegradation. However, in the case of engineering applications, the focus is on achieving the required properties rather than maximizing the percentage of biopolymer. The presented review article discusses the current strategies to optimize the balance of the key features such as stiffness, toughness, and heat resistance of PLA-based blends. Improving of these properties requires molecular structural changes, which together with morphology, crystallinity, and the influence of the processing conditions are the main subjects of this article. The latest research in this field clearly indicates the high potential of using PLA-based materials in highly demanding applications. In the case of impact strength modification, it is possible to obtain values close to 800 J/m, which is a value comparable to polycarbonate. Significant improvement can also be confirmed for thermal resistance results, where heat deflection temperatures for selected types of PLA blends can reach even 130 °C after modification. The modification strategies discussed in this article confirm that a properly conducted process of selecting the blend components and the conditions of the processing technique allows for revealing the potential of PLA as an engineering plastic. Full article
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