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Rheological and foaming behavior of linear and branched polylactides

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Abstract

In this work, a chain extender (CE) was added to polylactide (PLA) to improve its foamability. The steady and transient rheological properties of neat PLA and CE-treated PLA revealed that the introduction of the CE profoundly affected the melt viscosity and elasticity. The linear viscoelastic properties of CE-enriched PLA suggested that a long-chain branching (LCB) structure was formed from the reaction with the CE. LCB-PLA exhibited an increased viscosity, more shear sensitivity, and longer relaxation time in comparison with the linear PLA. The LCB structure was also found to affect the transient shear stress growth and elongational flow behavior. LCB-PLA exhibited a pronounced strain hardening, whereas no strain hardening was observed for the linear PLA. Batch foaming of the linear and LCB-PLAs was also examined at foaming temperatures of 130, 140, and 155 °C. The LCB structure significantly increased the integrity of the cells, cell density, and void fraction.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support from AUTO21 (Canada’s automotive R&D program) and NCE (Networks of Centres of Excellence of Canada) is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center for High Performance Polymer and Composite Systems, CREPEC, Department of Chemical Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Naqi Najafi, Marie-Claude Heuzey & Pierre J. Carreau

  2. Research Center for High Performance Polymer and Composite Systems, CREPEC, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Naqi Najafi & Daniel Therriault

  3. Microcellular Plastics Manufacturing Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Chul B. Park

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  1. Naqi Najafi
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  2. Marie-Claude Heuzey
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  4. Daniel Therriault
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  5. Chul B. Park
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Correspondence to Marie-Claude Heuzey.

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Najafi, N., Heuzey, MC., Carreau, P.J. et al. Rheological and foaming behavior of linear and branched polylactides. Rheol Acta 53, 779–790 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-014-0801-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-014-0801-3

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