D. Tech. Polymer Technology. / Objectives of this work were to develop PLA/PBSA-based hybrid materials with better barrier properties, thermal stability, impact strength and at the same time, have relatively good strength and modulus. The specific objectives were: 1) To optimise PLA/PBSA blend composition for the desired blend properties. This entailed understanding of the role of specific interfacial area obtained from the morphologies of the blends in controlling the properties of the same and relate qualitatively, the phase morphologies to the properties of the PLA/PBSA blends. 2) To study the effect of annealing on the properties of PLA/PBSA blends. 3) To study the effect of organic modifiers on clay surfaces and the interlayer d-spacing of the clay on the morphology and properties of PLA/PBSA-clay composites 4) To study clay dispersion at various loadings and how it affects the crystallization of PLA and PBSA components in the blend.5) To study clay loading effect on the thermal and mechanical properties of the PLA/PBSA-clay composites. 6) To optimise the processing parameters, vis-a-vis: reaction time, coupling agent content, PLA/PBSA composition and processing sequence during in-situ reactive compatibilization of PLA/PBSA blends. 7) To improve the thermal stability and barrier properties through reactive processing of PLA/PBSA, in the presence of organoclays and a coupling agent. 8) To study the rheological properties of the blends prepared, as a function of clay content in the physically and reactively compatibilized PLA/PBSA blends.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:tut/oai:encore.tut.ac.za:d1000972 |
| Date | January 2013 |
| Creators | Ojijo, Vincent Omondi. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format |
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