Enhanced thermal conductivity of PLA-based nanocomposites by incorporation of graphite nanoplatelets functionalized by tannic acid

Enhancing thermal conductivity of polymeric nanocomposites remains a great challenge because of the poor compatibility between nanofillers and the polymeric matrix and the aggregation effect of nanofillers. We report the enhanced thermal conductivity of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-based nanocomposites by incorporation of graphite nanoplatelets functionalized by tannic acid. Graphite nanoplatelets (GNPs) were noncovalently functionalized with tannic acid (TA) by van der Waals forces and - interaction without perturbing the conjugated sp(2) network, thus preserving the high thermal conductivity of GNPs. PLA-based nanocomposites with different contents of TA-functionalized GNPs (TA-GNPs) were prepared and characterized, and the influences of TA-GNPs content on the morphologies, mechanical properties, and thermal properties of the composites were investigated in detail. TA-GNPs remarkably improved the thermal conductivity of PLA up to 0.77 W/(m K), showing its high potential as a thermally conductive filler for polymer-based nanocomposites. (c) 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46397.