Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 21 No 6 (2017): 1417 - 1422

TENSILE AND THERMAL BEHAVIOURS OF POLY(LACTIC ACID)/LIQUID NATURAL RUBBER BLEND MATRIX INCORPORATED NICKEL ZINC FERRITE NANOPARTICLES

(Sifat Regangan dan Terma Matriks Adunan Asid Polilaktik/Cecair Getah Asli Diperkuat Nanozarah Nikel Zink Ferit)

Ruey Shan Chen, Dalila Shahdan, Sahrim Ahmad*

School of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

*Corresponding author: sahrim@ukm.edu.my

Received: 28 November 2016; Accepted: 6 March 2017

Abstract

Magnetic polymer nanocomposites (MPNCs) based on poly(lactic acid)/liquid natural rubber (PLA/LNR) (90:10) blend and nickel zinc (NiZn) ferrite magnetic nanoparticles were fabricated via melt-blending technique. The effect of NiZn ferrite nanofiller concentration (1 – 5 wt.%) on the tensile and thermal properties of PLA/LNR/NiZn ferrite nanocomposites was investigated. Tensile tests showed that as the tensile strength and modulus increased with the increase of nanofiller concentration until the optimum values of nanofiller concentration was achieved. The thermal behaviour of MPNCs including degradation temperature and its shiftment as well as the remaining residues after complete degradation were determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) measurement. As the NiZn ferrite nanofiller concentration increased, it was noted that the T_end of nanocomposites at low amount of nanofillers (1 – 2 wt.%) was higher than neat PLA/LNR and nanocomposites containing high concentration of nanofillers. The current work proves that NiZn ferrite could be served as an excellent reinforcement filer in PLA/LNR matrix. The improved tensile properties and thermal stability of PLA/LNR composites achieved at 2 – 3 wt.% NiZn due to the good dispersion of NiZn ferrite within the PLA/LNR matrix and strong filler-matrix interfacial adhesion, as can be confirmed by the scanning electron microscope (SEM).

Keywords: biopolymer, polymer blend, nanocomposite, magnetic particles, melt blending

Abstrak

Nanokomposit polimer magnetik (MPNC) berasaskan adunan asid polilaktik/cecair getah asli (PLA/LNR) (90:10) dan nanozarah magnetik nikel zink ferit (NiZn) dihasilkan melalui teknik pengadunan leburan. Kesan kandungan NiZn ferit (1-5 %bt) terhadap sifat regangan dan terma nanokomposit PLA/LNR/NiZn telah dikaji. Ujian regangan menunjukkan bahawa peningkatan kekuatan dan modulus regangan dengan peningkatan kandungan pengisi nano sehingga nilai optimum tercapai. Tingkah laku terma bagi MPNCs termasuk suhu degradasi (T_end) dan anjakannya serta baki sisa selepas degradasi lengkap telah ditentukan melalui analisis termogravimetri (TGA). Apabila kandungan NiZn ferit pengisi nano meningkat, didapati T_end bagi nanokomposit berpengisi nano dalam kandungan kecil (1 – 2 %bt) adalah lebih tinggi daripada PLA/LNR dan nanokomposit terkandung pengisi yang banyak. Hasil kajian ini membuktikan bahawa NiZn ferit boleh bertindak sebagai pengisi pengukuhan yang baik dalam matriks PLA/LNR. Penambahbaikan sifat regangan dan kestabilan terma komposit PLA/LNR tercapai pada 2 – 3 %bt NiZn disebabkan penyebaran NiZn ferit yang baik dalam matriks PLA/LNR dan lekatan antaramuka pengisi-matriks yang kuat, seperti yang disahkan oleh mikroskop elektron imbasan (SEM).

Kata kunci: biopolimer, polimer adunan, nanokomposit, zarah magnet, pengadunan leburan

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