Melt intercalation of poly(l-lactide) chains into clay galleries

The melt intercalation of poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) chains into silicate galleries has been investigated via a melting process without any shearing force at elevated temperature. Under the melting process, the incorporation of various types of organo-modified montmorillonites into PLLA matrix lead to the increase in the basal spacing of clay particles in different manner without delamination into individual layers. The changes in layer-stacked structures of the clay particles in the PLLA matrix were examined by use of wide-angle X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The effects of clay content in PLLA matrix and clay surfactants on the melt intercalation of PLLA were discussed in terms of chain mobility.