Preparation and Characterization of PLA / Microfibrillated Cellulose Composites

A series of composites from polylactic acid (PLA) and microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) were prepared with the aim of searching for an improvement in mechanical, thermal and gas barrier properties. Firstly, the microfibers surface was modified to make them more compatible with the polymer matrix. After testing different methods of mixing, the conclusion is that it is possible to achieve fair dispersions by melt compounding if a masterbatch is used. The mechanical characterization of the samples showed that the storage modulus of the composites increased compared to neat PLA even at low MFC content (4 wt.%). On the other hand, the thermal stability did not deteriorate in the composites, and the permeability to different gases was slightly lower than that of neat PLA.