Fabrication of polylactide with high-content, ordered, and continuous transcrystallinity via multilayered two-dimensional interface

PLA transcrystallinity (TC) is a novel type of crystal that is of significant importance. Owing to the low content, discontinuity, and random distribution of PLA TC prepared by traditional methods, its formation mechanism and growth rule remain unclear, and its impact on properties is still inclusive. In this work, the PLA and nucleating agent filled PLA (T-PLA) are coextruded to form the PLA/T-PLA alternating multilayers, in which the multilayered PLA/T-PLA interface induces the formation of the high content, continuous and ordered PLA TC. The SEM, 2D-WAXD and the polarized-FTIR results indicate that the PLA TC is consisted of highly stacked and oriented lamellae, where the b-axis lays perpendicular to, but the a-axis and c-axis PLA lamellae parallel to the multilayered interface. Compared with the spherulites, the compacted and oriented TC has a positive effect on the yielding strength, and this may result from the highly compacted and oriented lamellar arrangement. In brief, here we provide a facile route to construct high content, continuous and ordered PLA TC and thus provides an ideal prototype to further investigate the intrinsic properties of PLA TC. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Automated summary

The study presents a simple method to construct high content, continuous and ordered PLA TC structure, and demonstrates its positive impact on yielding strength. This provides an ideal prototype for further investigation into the intrinsic properties of PLA TC.