The study aimed to investigate the reinforcement of plasticized poly(lactic acid) (PLA) with titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanofiller. In this research, solvent casting and thermocompression methods are adopted to prepare PLA nanocomposites with different percentages of TiO2 at 0.5, 2.0, 3.5, 5.0, and 7.0 %?w/w that dispersed in PLA solution using a mechanical mixer and ultrasonication technique. The composites were characterized using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results showed that tributyl citrate (TBC) plasticizer reduced the brittle failure and increased the flexibility of PLA whilst TiO2 nanofiller improved the crystallization of PLA composites as evidenced in DSC results at slow scanning rate. The presence of 3.5 %?w/w TiO2 in plasticized PLA increased the glass transition temperature (Tg) from 41.75 °C to 42.22 °C indicating restricted mobility of poly.....

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The reinforcement effect of nanofiller in polymer enhanced the thermal stability, physical and mechanical properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) composites with good reinforcing capabilities for bio-based polymers. In this paper, the effect of reinforcement of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanofiller on the mechanical properties and thermal behavior of PLA matrix are reported. PLA/TiO2 nanocomposites with different percentages of 2.0, 3.5, 5.0 and 7.0 % w/w were prepared by using solvent casting and thermocompression method. TiO2 were dispersed in PLA matrix using mechanical mixer and ultrasonication technique. The thermomechanical properties and thermal behavior of PLA nanocomposites were characterized using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The increased in storage modulus by the addition of nanofiller with the highest increment provided by 2.0 % w/w TiO2 indicated a strong influence and better interfacial bonding between nanofiller and PLA matri.....

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