Comparison of melting and crystallization behaviors of polylactide under high-pressure CO 2, N 2, and He

Abstract

This study investigated the melting and crystallization behaviors of polylactide (PLA) under high-pressure CO2, N2, and helium (He) using a high-pressure differential scanning calorimeter. The results showed that the PLA's melting temperature was depressed only in contact with pressurized CO2 where at high CO2 pressures the lubricating gas molecules induced more imperfect melt and cold crystals during the cooling and heating cycles, respectively. PLA's melt crystallization was analyzed during nonisothermal processes. Despite the effect of dissolved CO 2 that expedited the PLA's crystallization rate, N2 showed almost a neutral impact on the PLA's crystallization kinetics. Because of the lower solubility, N2 gas content dissolved in the PLA had a diminutive plasticization effect, and thereby it could only counterbalance its negative hydraulic pressure effect. Moreover, as the helium pressure increased, the PLA's final crystallinity was reduced due to the dominant effect of helium's hydraulic pressure. © 2014 American Institute of Physics.