Experimental investigation and statistical analysis of tensile strength and thermal conductivity of polylactic acid nanocomposites

Nowadays, biodegradable polymers have gained more attention due to environmental concerns and several inherent properties. However, poor mechanical and thermal properties limit their use for various applications. The nanocomposite is one of the techniques to improve its mechanical and thermal properties. Hence, this technique may be employed to improve its desired properties. This work reports the synthesis and characterization of biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) nanocomposites. PLA was synthesized by the ring-opening polymerization of lactic acid, magnesium phosphate (MgP), and calcium phosphate (CaP) nanoparticles were added into the PLA matrix. The nanocomposites were prepared by ultrasonic vibration-assisted melt mixing and vacuum casting techniques. The prepared PLA nanocomposites were further characterized to determine their tensile strength and thermal conductivity. The experiments were designed by employing the central composites design to study the effect of MgP and CaP nanoparticle concentration on the mechanical and thermal properties of PLA nanocomposites. The result indicates that the highest tensile strength was achieved for 10 wt% CaP and 2.35 wt% concentration whereas maximum thermal conductivity of PLA nanocomposites was obtained for 20 wt% CaP and 2.35 wt% concentration.