Integration of Multivariate Statistical Control Chart and Machine Learning to Identify the Abnormal Process Parameters for Polylactide with Glass Fiber Composites in Injection Molding; Part I: The Processing Parameter Optimization for Multiple Qualities of Polylactide/Glass Fiber Composites in Injection Molding

This paper discusses the mixing of polylactide (PLA) and glass fiber which use injection molding to produce a functional composite material with glass fiber properties. The injection molding process explores the influence of glass fiber ratio, melt temperature, injection speed, packing pressure, packing time and cooling time on the mechanical properties of composite. Using the orthogonal table planning experiment of the Taguchi method, the optimal parameter level combination of a single quality process is obtained through main effect analysis (MEA) and Analysis of variance (ANOVA). Then, the optimal parameter level combination of multiple qualities is obtained through principal component analysis (PCA) and data envelopment analysis (DEA), respectively. It is observed that if all the quality characteristics of tensile strength, hardness, impact strength and bending strength are considered at the same time, the optimal process conditions are glass fiber addition 20 wt %, melt temperature 185 °C, injection speed 80 mm/s, holding pressure 60 MPa, holding time 1 s and cooling time 15 s, and the corresponding mechanical properties are tensile strength 95.04 MPa, hardness 86.52 Shore D, impact strength 4.4408 J/cm², bending strength 119.89 MPa. This study effectively enhances multiple qualities of PLA/GF composite.

Effects of Methylenediphenyl 4,4'-Diisocyanate and Maleic Anhydride as Coupling Agents on the Properties of Polylactic Acid/Polybutylene Succinate/Wood Flour Biocomposites by Reactive Extrusion

Polylactic acid (PLA)/polybutylene succinate (PBS)/wood flour (WF) biocomposites were fabricated by in situ reactive extrusion with coupling agents. Methylenediphenyl 4,4'-diisocyanate (MDI) and maleic anhydride (MA) were used as coupling agents. To evaluate the effects of MDI and MA, various properties (i.e., interfacial adhesion, mechanical, thermal, and viscoelastic properties) were investigated. PLA/PBS/WF biocomposites without coupling agents revealed poor interfacial adhesion leading to deteriorated properties. However, the incorporation of MDI and/or MA into biocomposites showed high performances by increasing interfacial adhesion. For instance, the incorporation of MDI resulted in improved tensile, flexural, and impact strengths and an increase in tensile and flexural modulus was observed by the incorporation of MA. Specially, remarkably improved thermal stability was found in the PLA/PBS/WF biocomposites with 1 phr MDI and 1 phr MA. Also, the addition of MDI or MA into biocomposites increased the glass transition temperature and crystallinity, respectively. For viscoelastic property, the PLA/PBS/WF biocomposites with 1 phr MDI and 1 phr MA achieved significant enhancement in storage modulus compared to biocomposites without coupling agents. Therefore, the most balanced performances were evident in the PLA/PBS/WF biocomposites with the hybrid incorporation of small quantities of MDI and MA.

Effects of Montmorillonite Content and Maleic Anhydride Compatibilization on the Mechanical Behavior of Polylactide Nanocomposites

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of montmorillonite (MMT) type nanoclay content and maleic anhydride (MA) grafted polylactide (PLA) copolymer compatibilization on the mechanical properties of PLA nanocomposites; compounded by twin-screw extrusion melt-mixing followed with injection molding for shaping of bulk specimens. Successively intercalated and exfoliated structures of the nanocomposites were observed by XRD and TEM analysis, including the chemical interactions by FTIR. Mechanical tests indicated that use of only 1 wt% MMT resulted in significant improvements in many mechanical properties of PLA. Increases were only 14 % in flexural modulus and 7 % in flexural strength, but more than 6 times in ductility and as much as 85 % in fracture toughness values. After MA compatibilization these improvements were much enormous, being more than 22 times in ductility and 119 % in fracture toughness.

Super toughened renewable poly(lactic acid) based ternary blends system: effect of degree of hydrolysis of ethylene vinyl acetate on impact and thermal properties

Effect of hydrolysed EVA on PLA ternary blend systems.