Synthesis of biodegradable nanocomposite

초록

The preparation of polymer-carbon nanotube composites is one of the most promising alternatives to the conventional filled polymers. The dispersion of the nanometer-sized carbon nanotubes in a polymer matrix leads to markedly improved physical properties of the polymer. Because of the environmental concerns, this approach, applied to biodegradable and biocompatible synthetic aliphatic polyesters such as poly(?caprolactone) (PCL) or poly(lactic acid) (PLA), has been receiving growing attention. Indeed, the performance of these polymers can be strongly enhanced, which could make them good competitors for commodity materials such as engineering plastics, while keeping their complete biodegradability. The nanotube dispersion in the solubilized samples was examined by TEM. The TEM specimen was prepared by depositing a drop of the sample solution onto a carbon-coated copper grid, followed by solvent evaporation. The PLA grafted MWNTs are apparently well dispersed in the PLA matrix as well as in the solvent. The TEM image suggests the presence of PLA on the nanotube surface, The nanotubes do not appear shortened significantly despite the reaction involving continuous sonication for an extended period of time.