Effect of layered silicates on the thermal stability of PCL/PLA microfibrillar composites

This paper reports on an investigation of the influence of the presence of two different clays, Cloisite 15A and Cloisite 30B, and fibre drawing on the degradation behaviour and kinetics of PCL/PLA composites. It was found that the type of clay significantly influenced the mass loss behaviour of the composites because of physical interactions between the clay and the polymer chains and degradation volatiles. Melt drawing of the composite films, however, had little influence on the degradation behaviour of the investigated samples.