Improved thermal insulation and compressive property of bimodal poly (lactic acid)/cellulose nanocomposite foams

In this work, an innovative PLA/CNF nanocomposite foam with a bimodal cell structure is prepared by a simple one-step depressurization foaming process using only supercritical carbon dioxide (ScCO2) as the foaming agent. Only at a specific foaming temperature, PLA/CNF nanocomposites foam with a bimodal cell structure could be obtained. According to the different crystallization kinetics and nucleation efficiency of samples, it was inferred that the crystallization rate and phase interface would affect the cell structure. The prepared PLA/CNF nanocomposite foam with a bimodal cell structure had an expansion ratio as high as 20 times and thermal conductivity of 0.041 w m(-1) k(-1), which exhibited low density and excellent thermal-insulation property. Meanwhile, the PLA/CNF nanocomposite foam exhibited excellent compression performance due to the presence of CNFs, which showed promising application in packaging and construction materials.

Automated summary

In this study, an innovative PLA/CNF nanocomposite foam with a bimodal cell structure was prepared using a simple one-step depressurization foaming process with supercritical carbon dioxide as the foaming agent. The cell structure of the foam was influenced by the crystallization rate and phase interface. The prepared foam exhibited high expansion ratio, low thermal conductivity, and excellent compression performance, making it suitable for applications in packaging and construction materials.