• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.62-67
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• 2015

The surface modification of microfibriled cellulose (MFC) was carried out through the hydrolysis-condensation reaction using (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APS) and 3-glycidyloxypropyltriethoxysilane (GPS) and then the modified cellulose was compounded with bio-degradable poly(lactic acid) (PLA). Also, pristine MFC was compounded with PLA as a control groups. The confirmation of surface modification for the pristine MFC was characterized by FT-IR and SEM/EDX. The thermal and mechanical properties of the PLA/MFC composites depended on the content of MFC and the type of silane coupling agents. From the thermal, morphological and mechanical behaviors of the PLA/MFC composites, it was found that GPS-MFC was more successful to improve the interface adhesion between PLA matrix and the surface of MFC than that of APS-MFC.