[2PS-181]
Nanoparticle-Induced Modulation of Degradation Pathways in Polylactic Acid Nanocomposites
발표자정효진 (서울대학교)
연구책임자김소연 (서울대학교)
Abstract
The rapid increase in plastic usage has intensified plastic waste issues, emphasizing the need for biodegradable polymers. These can be used as composites incorporating nanoparticles (NPs) to improve performance, yet studies on degradation of polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) remain limited. Although degradation starts at the microscopic chain level, the effect of NP-chain interactions is poorly understood.
In this study, polylactic acid (PLA)/silica nanocomposites were prepared as model biodegradable PNCs, and NP effect on degradation was examined microscopically by analyzing various properties, microstructure, and polymer dynamics during enzymatic degradation. PNCs showed a distinct pathway: random chain scission dominated in neat PLA, while chain-end scission was favored in PNCs. This suggests the interfacial layer formed by NPs critically governs degradation. This study reveals NP incorporation can modulate degradation mechanism, providing insight for designing biodegradable materials.