Development of Poly(lactic acid) Nanocomposites Reinforced with Hydrophobized Bacterial Cellulose

Abstract

Poly(lactic acid)/bacterial cellulose nanocomposites were prepared by solvent casting. Aiming to reduce the incompatibilitybetween polar bacterial cellulose (BC) and the nonpolar PLA matrix which induces iller aggregation and poor reinforcement dispersion, BC was acetylated by the use of a non-conventional route catalyzed by citric acid. The derivatized BC(AcBC) was incorporated into de PLA matrix at varying iller loadings, and optical, morphological, structural, thermal,tensile and barrier (water vapor) properties of PLA/AcBC in comparison with PLA/BC were evaluated. Noticeable changesin the nanocomposite properties were ascribed to the success of the route proposed to surface hydrophobize BC, whichsigniicantly improved its dispersibility within the PLA matrix and the matrix-iller interaction. By the way, the variation ofiller loading allowed attaining remarkable increases in the nanocomposite ilms stifness without signiicant reductions intensile strength and water vapor permeability.