Effect of Polyester Graft Molecular Weight on the Mechanical Properties and Marine Biodegradability of PHB/CNC Nanocomposites
발표자
황선우 (한국과학기술원)
연구책임자
명재욱 (한국과학기술원)
공동저자
황선우 (한국과학기술원), 조용준 (한국과학기술원), 명재욱 (한국과학기술원)
초록
내용
To address the performance-sustainability trade-off in bioplastics, this study investigates the effect of polyester graft molecular weight on the properties of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)/cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) nanocomposites. CNC-g-polycaprolactone (CNC-g-PCL) was synthesized with controlled graft lengths by varying the caprolactone-to-CNC ratio. The degree of substitution (DS) and the degree of polymerization (DP) were precisely characterized via TGA and 1H NMR. Nanocomposite films were prepared via solvent casting, incorporating CNC-g-PCL into the PHB matrix. Mechanical performance was evaluated using a universal testing machine (UTM), focusing on mitigating the inherent brittleness of the PHB matrix. Marine biodegradability was assessed via the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) method. By correlating molecular-level grafting with macro-scale performance, this research provides foundational insights for developing high-performance, marine-compatible biocomposites.