Effects of nanoparticles on thermal degradation of polylactide/aluminium diethylphosphinate composites

We investigated the thermal degradation characteristics of polylactide (PLA) aluminium diethylphosphinate (AlPi) composites involving SiO2, halloysite (HNT) and organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) via direct pyrolysis mass spectrometry. Presence of nanoparticles, SiO2, HNT and OMMT affected both thermal stability and relative yields of thermal degradation products of PLA/AlPi. The transesterification reactions and interactions between PLA and AlPi were depressed in the presence of SiO2 and HNT. The increase in thermal stability detected in the presence of OMMT was associated with generation of cross-linked structure as a consequence of reactions between the organic modifier of montmorillonite, the carbonyl groups of PLA and phosphinates. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.