Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8041990 | Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms | 2014 | 9 Pages |
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of various loading levels of trimethylopropane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA) on the properties of polylactic acid (PLA) cross-linked via electron-beam irradiation. PLA was compounded with 3-5Â wt.% of TMPTMA to induce cross-linking upon subjection to electron-beam irradiation doses of 25-250Â kGy. The physical properties of the PLA samples were characterised by means of X-ray diffraction, gel fraction and scanning electron microscopy analyses on fractured surfaces after tensile tests. The presence of TMPTMA in PLA was found to effectively increase the crystallite size and gel fraction. However, higher loading levels of TMPTMA could compromise the properties of the PLA/TMPTMA samples, indicating that a larger amount of monomer free radicals might promote degradation within the substantially cross-linked amorphous phase. Irradiation-induced cross-linking in the samples could improve the cross-linking density while decreasing the elongation and interfering with the crystallisation. These effects are caused by the intensive irradiation-induced chain scission that is responsible for the deterioration of the mechanical and crystalline properties of the samples.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Materials Science
Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Authors
Hon-Meng Ng, Soo-Tueen Bee, C.T. Ratnam, Lee Tin Sin, Yee-Yao Phang, Tiam-Ting Tee, A.R. Rahmat,