Bacterial cellulose membranes and spheres composite with poly (l-lactic acid) through in situ polymerization

Composite materials of conjugated polymers/cellulose were fabricated by incorporating different polythiophene-derivative polymers: Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and an alkylated derivative of poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene) (PProDOT). These conjugated polythiophenes were deposited by casting or spray coating methodologies onto three different cellulose substrates: Conventional filters papers as cellulose acetate, cellulose grade 40 Whatman® and cellulose membranes prepared from cellulose microfibers. The preparation of composite materials was carried out by two methodologies: (i) by employing in-situ polymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxithiophene (EDOT) or (ii) by depositing solutions of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) or lab-synthetized PProDOT. Composite materials were studied in terms of electrical conductivity and surface morphology assessed by impedance spectroscopy, surface conductivity, SEM, and 3D optical profilometry. In-situ composite materials prepared by spray coating using iron trifluoromethane sulfonate as oxidizing agent can be handled and folded as the original cellulose membranes displaying a surface conductivity around 1 S∙cm−1. This versatile procedure to prepare conductive composite materials has the potential to be implemented in flexible electrodes for energy storage applications.

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Biodegradable Poly(Lactic Acid)/Organic-Montmorillonite Nanocomposites: Preparation and Characterization

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.87-88.422 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 87-88 ◽

pp. 422-426 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Na Li Chen ◽

Hui Xia Feng ◽

He Ming Luo ◽

Dan Zhao ◽

Jian Hui Qiu

Keyword(s):

Lactic Acid ◽

In Situ Polymerization ◽

Interlayer Spacing ◽

Poly Lactic Acid ◽

Organic Montmorillonite ◽

Heat Distortion Temperature ◽

Biodegradable Poly ◽

Ft Ir ◽

Silicate Layers

In this work, the biodegradable poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/organic-montmorillonite (O-MMT) nanocomposites were successfully prepared by the in situ polymerization intercalation process of D,L-lactide with organically-modified montmorillonite which was first treated by Cu cations and second treated by n-hexadecyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) cations. O-MMT was characterized by FT-IR and XRD, the results showed that Cu cations and CTAB cations had been inserted to the interlayer of MMT, and the interlayer spacing of CTAB-Cu-MMT (O-MMT) increased by 1.829nm. The biodegradable PLA/O-MMT nanocomposites were characterized by XRD, SEM, FT-IR, TG, and the results showed that silicate layers were intercalated into the PLA matrix and the biodegradable PLA/O-MMT nanocomposites were of two different types: intercalated nanocomposites and exfoliated nanocomposites. This new nanocomposites frequently exhibited remarkable improvements when compared with the neat PLA matrix. Improvements could include increased heat distortion temperature, an increase in the biodegradability rate of biodegradable polymers.

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