Extensional Flow Resistance of 3D Fiber Networks in Plasticized Nanocomposites

Generation of Tough, Stiff Polylactide Nanocomposites through the In Situ Nanofibrillation of Thermoplastic Elastomer

Polylactide (PLA) resins are among the most desirable biopolymers due to their biobased and compostable nature, excellent stiffness, and tensile strength. However, the widespread application of PLA has long been hindered by its inherent brittleness. While multiple routes have been successfully developed for the toughening of PLA, this toughening has always come at the cost of compromising the stiffness and strength of the matrix. In this work, we report a robust and scalable method for the development of PLA nanocomposites with an unprecedented combination of stiffness and toughness. Using the in situ nanofibrillation technique, we generated PLA composites containing nanofibrils of thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE). Due to the high aspect ratio of these nanofibrils, they form physically percolated networks at low weight fractions (∼2.8 wt %) which dramatically change the mechanical behavior of the material. We found that, upon network formation, the material transitions from brittle to ductile behavior, dramatically increasing its toughness with only a marginal decrease in Young's modulus. We investigate the peculiar rheological behavior and crystallization kinetics of these blends, and propose an extension of the critical ligament thickness mechanism, wherein intrinsic toughening arises at the fiber-matrix interface in the presence of entangled elastomer networks.

Analysis of Bubble Growth in Supercritical CO2 Extrusion Foaming Polyethylene Terephthalate Process Based on Dynamic Flow Simulation

Bubble growth in the polymer extrusion foaming process occurs under a dynamic melt flow. For non-Newtonian fluids, this work successfully coupled the dynamic melt flow simulation with the bubble growth model to realize bubble growth predictions in an extrusion flow. The initial thermophysical properties and dynamic rheological property distribution at the cross section of the die exit were calculated based on the finite element method. It was found that dynamic rheological properties provided a necessary solution for predicting bubble growth during the supercritical CO₂ polyethylene terephthalate (PET) extrusion foaming process. The introduction of initial melt stress could effectively inhibit the rapid growth of bubbles and reduce the stable size of bubbles. However, the initial melt stress was ignored in previous work involving bubble growth predictions because it was not available. The simulation results based on the above theoretical model were consistent with the evolution trends of cell morphology and agreed well with the actual experimental results.