• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.232-239
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• 2014

Poly(lactic acid)(PLA) nanocomposites containing various nanofillers were synthesized using the solution intercalation method. Organically modified bentonite clay (NSE), octadecylamine-graphene oxide (ODA-GO), and an NSE/ODA-GO complex were utilized as nanofillers in the fabrication of PLA hybrid films. PLA hybrid films with varying nanofiller contents in the range of 0-10 wt% were examined and compared in terms of their thermomechanical properties, morphologies, and oxygen permeabilities. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed that most of the NSE and ODA-GO nanofillers were dispersed homogeneously throughout the PLA matrix on the nanoscale, although some agglomerate NSE/ODA-GO complex particles were also formed. Among the three nanofillers for PLA hybrid films, the NSE/ODA-GO complex showed the best improvement in film thermal stability. In contrast, NSE and ODA-GO exhibited the best improvement in tensile mechanical properties and oxygen barrier properties of the PLA hybrid films, respectively.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.685-693
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• 2013

The foams of a poly(lactic acid) modified by the reactive compounding were produced with the batch foaming technique using supercritical $CO_2(scCO_2)$. Experiments were performed at $105{\sim}135^{\circ}C$ and 12~24 MPa. The blowing ratio and foam structure were significantly affected by changing the temperature and pressure conditions in the foaming process. The blowing ratio first increased with increasing foaming temperature and saturation pressure, reached a maximum and then decreased with a further increase in the foaming temperature and saturation pressure. Decreasing the rate of depressurization permitted a longer period of cell growth and therefore larger microcellular structures were obtained.

• Composites Research
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.371-378
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• 2018

In this study, the thermoelastic properties of poly lactic acid (PLA) based nanocomposites are predicted by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and a micromechanics model. The stereocomplex mixed with L-lactic acid (PLLA) and D-lactic acid (PDLA) is modeled as matrix phase and a single walled carbon nanotube is embedded as reinforcement. The glass transition temperature, elastic moduli and thermal expansion coefficients of pure matrix and nanocomposites unit cells are predicted though ensemble simulations according to the hydrolysis. In micromechanics model, the double inclusion (D-I) model with a perfect interface condition is adopted to predict the properties of nanocomposites at the same composition. It is found that the stereocomplex nanocomposites show prominent improvement in thermal stability and interfacial adsorption regardless of the hydrolysis. Moreover, it is confirmed from the comparison of MD simulation results with those from the D-I model that the interface between CNT and the stereocomplex matrix is slightly weak in nature.

• Composites Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.18-28
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• 2009

Blends of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) were prepared by reaction extrusion with para-phenylene diisocyanate (PPDI). The crystallization behavior and biodegradability were investigated by using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), a wide angle X-ray diffractometer (WAXD), a contact angle goniometer, and a buffer solution containing esterase. The addition of PBT into PLA polymer matrix induced the cold crystallization of PLA phase, and the crystallization rate of PLA phase was significantly accelerated when both PBT and PPDI participated in the reaction with PLA simultaneously. But the chain extension caused by PPDI decreased the crystallinity and hydrophilicity of PLA and PBT phases. The crystallinity and hydrophilicity did not affect the biodegradability of PLA/PBT blends. However, phase separation between PLA and PBT in PLA/PBT blends increased the interfacial area exposed to the hydrolysis of enzyme, resulting in the improved degradability rate of PLA phase. In contrast, the improved interfacial adhesion between PLA and PBT matrices by the reaction with PPDI reduced the area exposed to the enzyme to decrease the degradation rate of PLA phase.

• Proceedings of the Korean Fiber Society Conference
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• 1998.04a
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• pp.67-70
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• 1998

지방족 폴리에스테르계 고분자인 Poly(lactic acid)(PLA)는 생분해성, 생체적합성, 분해물의 비독성, 가공성 등이 우수하여 부러진 뼈의 접합 재료, 약물 조절 방출 재료 및 흡수성 봉합사 등과 같은 의료용 소재로 널리 이용되고 있다[1]. 그러나 PLA는 높은 결정화도로 인해 물성이 brittle하고 분해속도가 느릴 뿐만 아니라 낮은 열 안정성으로 인해 용융 가공할 경우 급격한 분자량의 감소를 유발하여 기계적 특성이 좋지 않은 단점이 있다.(중략)

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 2007

This study investigated the effect of ultrasound irradiation on the blend of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT). The blends of PLA/PBAT(50/50) (PBAT50) were prepared in a melt mixer with an ultrasonic device attached. Thermal, rheological, and mechanical properties, morphology, and biodegradability of the sonicated blends were analysed. The viscosity of the sonicated blends was increased by the ultrasound irradiation owing to the strong interaction. The morphology of the sonicated blends was significantly dependent on the duration o the ultrasound irradiation. For PBAT50, the phase size reduction was maximized when the blends were ultrasonically irradiated for 30 sec. At longer duration of ultrasound irradiation, the PBAT phase underwent flocculation. Measurement of the tensile properties showed an increased breakage tensile stress and an enhanced Young's modulus when the blends were properly irradiated. This improvement was ascribed to better adhesion between the PLA matrix and the PBAT domain and to better dispersion of the PBAT phase. However, the tensile properties were maximized after excessive energy irradiation, which was ascribed to an emulsifying effect leading to coalescence of the PBAT phase. Impact strength was increased to reach a peak with the ultrasound irradiation, and was higher than the untreated sample for all sonicated samples due to the difference of failure mechanism between the tensile test and the impact test.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.250-256
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• 2003

Lactic acid bacteria with amylolytic and acid producing activities can ferment starch directly to lactic acid thereby producing a monomer for the production of biodegradable poly lactic acid (PLA). In this study, the strain producing L-lactic acid from soluble starch was isolated from Nuruk. The isolated strain was identified as Enterococcus sp. through its morphological, cultural, biochemical characteristics as well as the 16S rDNA sequence analysis, and named Enterococcus sp. JA-27. Enterococcus sp. JA-27 produced exclusively L-lactic acid from soluble starch as a carbon source. The optimal conditions for the maximum production of L-lactic acid from Enterococcus sp. JA-27 were 30 C, pH 8, 1.5 % soluble starch as a substrate and 3.5 % tryptone as a nitrogen source, 0.1 % $K_2$$HPO_4$, 0.04 % $MgSO_4$. $7H_2$O, 0.014 % $MnSO_4$$.$4$H_2O$, 0.004% $FeSO_4$$.$$7H_2$O. Batch and fed batch culture were carried out and the former was more effective. L-Lactic acid production in the optimum medium was significantly increased in a 7 L jar fermenter, where the maximum L-lactic acid concentration was 3 g/L. For the purification of lactic acid in fermented broth, two stage ionexchange column chromatographies were employed and finally identified by HPLC.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.151-156
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• 2012

Lactic acid is an important product arising from the anaerobic fermentation by lactic acid bacteria (LAB). It is used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, chemical, and food industries as well as for biodegradable polymer and green solvent production. The poly lactic acid (PLA) is an important material for bio-plastic manufacturing process. For PLA production by new LAB, we screened LAB isolates from shellfish. A total of 28 LAB were isolated from various shellfishes. They were all Gram positive, oxidase and catalase negative. Based on API 50CHL kit, 7 strains among the 28 isolates were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum, 6 strains as Lactobacillus delbrueckii, 5 strains as Leuconostoc mesenteroides, 3 strains as Lactobacillus brevis, 2 strains as Lactococcus lactis, 1 strain as Lactobacillus salivarius, 1 strain as Lactobacillus paracasei, 1 strain as Lactobacillus pentosus, 1 strain as Lactobacillus fermentum and 1 strain as Pediococcus pentosaceu. Also, we examined the amount of total lactic acid produced by these new strains by HPLC analysis with Chiralpak MA column. One strain E-3 from Mytilus edulis was indentified as Lactobacillus plantarum and found to produce 20.0 g/L of D-form lactic acid from 20 g/L of dextrose. Further studies are underway to increase the D-lactic acid production by E-3.

• Proceedings of the Korean Fiber Society Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.370-371
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• 2003

Poly(lactic acid) is a thermoplastic and biodegradable polymer[1-3]. It has a wide range of application in medical fields such as sutures, screws for bone fractures and drug delivery systems. It has additional potential in other fields like agriculture and packaging. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in star-shaped polymers because they have a higher segment density within the distance of its radius of rotation than linear polymers have under the same conditions.[4] (omitted)

• Advanced Composite Materials
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.259-267
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• 2007

Mechanical reinforcement of an all-sustainable composite, composed of papyrus stem-milled particles as reinforcement and poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) resin as matrix, was investigated. The papyrus particles (average diameter of $70{\mu}m$) could be well dispersed in PLLA resin up to 50 wt% without any surface modification. Young's modulus of the composite was 4.2 GPa at 50 wt% of the papyrus content. This is a two-fold increment in modulus as compared to that of the PLLA matrix. The tensile strength of the composite was almost constant around 48 MPa irrespective of the papyrus content. Temperature dependence of the storage modulus demonstrated that the incorporation of papyrus restricts the large drop in the modulus above the glass transition of PLLA.