Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 18 No 2 (2014): 385 - 390

 

 

 

EFFECT OF FERMENTED CHITIN NANOWHISKERS ON PROPERTIES OF POLYLACTIC ACID BIOCOMPOSITE FILMS

 

(Kesan Kitin Terfermentasi Terhadap Sifat Filem Biokomposit Asid Poli Laktik)

 

Syazeven Effatin Azma Mohd Asri¹, Zainoha Zakaria¹*, Azman Hassan²,  M. K. Mohamad Haafiz^2,3

 

¹Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science,

²Department of Polymer Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Engineering,

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

³School of Industrial Technology,

Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Penang, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: zainoha@kimia.fs.utm.my

 

 

Abstract

The fermented chitin nanowhiskers (FCNW) filled polylactic acid (PLA) biocomposite films were successfully produced using solution casting method. The biocomposite films were characterized in terms of tensile properties. The Young’s modulus increased with increasing FCNW content while the tensile strength increased and reached the maximum value at 4 phr FCNW loading. Therefore it can be concluded that the optimum loading of FCNW is at 4 phr and further addition of FCNW may lead to agglomeration resulting in a decrease in tensile strength. The elongation at break of the biocomposite films decreased rapidly upon addition of FCNW into PLA. From the Atomic Force Microscopy, the surface morphology of the PLA changed upon addition of FCNW and tendency for agglomeration of FCNW at high loading was observed.

 

Keywords: chitin, nanowhiskers, polylactide, film, solution casting

 

Abstrak

Kitin nanowisker daripada kitin terfermentasi (FCNW) yang memenuhi filem biokomposit asid poli laktik (PLA) telah berjaya dihasilkan melalui kaedah tuangan larutan. Filem biokomposit itu kemudiannya dicirikan berdasarkan sifat kekuatan tensilnya. Modulus Young meningkat seiring dengan peningkatan kandungan FCNW manakala kekuatan tensil meningkat dan mencapai nilai maksimum pada 4 phr. Oleh yang demikian, boleh disimpulkan bahawa pengisian optimum FCNW adalah pada 4 phr dan penambahan berterusan FCNW mungkin akan membawa kepada penggumpalan yang mengakibatkan penurunan dalam kekuatan tensil. Ciri pemanjangan takat putus filem biokomposit menurun secara mendadak dengan penambahan FCNW ke dalam PLA. Daripada mikroskop daya atom, morfologi permukaan PLA berubah setelah ditambah dengan FCNW dan potensi kepada penggumpalan pada pengisian tinggi FCNW telah diperhatikan.

 

Kata kunci: kitin, nanowisker, asid poli-laktik, filem, tuangan larutan

 

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