Comparison of melting and crystallization behaviors of polylactide under high-pressure CO2, N2, and He

This study investigated the melting and crystallization behaviors of polylactide (PLA) under high-pressure CO2, N2, and helium (He) using a high-pressure differential scanning calorimeter and a wide-angle X-ray diffractometer. The results showed that the PLAʹs melting temperature was depressed only when contacted with pressurized CO2 where at high CO2 pressures the lubricating gas molecules induced more imperfect melt and cold crystals during the cooling and heating cycle. PLAʹs melt crystallization was analyzed during both isothermal and nonisothermal processes. In contrast to the effect of dissolved CO2 that expedited the PLAʹs crystallization rate, N2 showed almost a neutral impact on the PLAʹs crystallization kinetics. Because of the lower solubility, N2 gas dissolved in the PLA had a diminutive plasticization effect, and thereby it could only counterbalance its negative hydraulic pressure effect. Moreover, as the helium pressure increased, the PLAʹs final crystallinity was reduced due to the dominant effect of heliumʹs hydraulic pressure.