[O2-4]
우수논문발표상 응모자Tailoring Interfacial Interactions and Dynamics of Polylactic-acid nanocomposites via PLA-Grafted-Cellulose Nanocrystals
발표자정효진 (서울대학교)
연구책임자박제영 (서강대학교), 김소연 (서울대학교)
Abstract
Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable polymer with excellent mechanical and thermal properties, whose performance can be enhanced by adding nanoparticles (NPs) to form polymer nanocomposites (PNCs). Among NPs, cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) is attractive based on its eco-friendly nature, but often poorly compatible with PLA due to its hydrophilicity. To overcome this, PLA chains can be grafted onto CNC (gCNC) to improve compatibility with matrix.
This study compared PLA/CNC and PLA/gCNC nanocomposites, focusing on physical adsorption vs. chemical grafting at the interface. The effects of interfacial chains on dynamics were quantified, and microstructures were examined. gCNCs not only enhanced compatibility with PLA but also accelerated chain mobility through the stretched conformations, leading to distinct polymer dynamics across time scales confirmed by BDS, QENS, and NMR. These findings highlight gCNC as a promising reinforcement inducing synergistic effects beyond conventional PNCs.