Influence of Extruder Plasticizing Systems on the Selected Properties of PLA/Graphite Composite

Twin-screw extrusion is a crucial method for the direct inserting of carbon micro- and nanomaterials into a polymer matrix using a dry procedure. The study aimed to determine the influence of the parameters of the twin-screw extruder plasticizing system on the dispersion homogeneity and distribution of graphite filler in the polylactide polymer matrix and overall quality of the composite. As a filler, a graphite micropowder with a 5 μm lateral size of platelets was used at concentration of 1 wt.%. Three configurations of screws with different mixing intensity and various types segments were considered in the extrusion experiments. Morphology and chemical structure of the obtained composites were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy – attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) and Raman spectroscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and melting flow rate measurements (MFR) were used to asses thermal and rheological properties of the composites. Samples of the polylactide/graphite composites were also subjected to mechanical tests. The results show that the selection of the mechanical parameters of twin-screw extruder plasticizing system plays a key role in the preparation of the homogeneous PLA/graphite composites. Incorrect selection of the screw geometry results in poor mixing quality and a significant deterioration of the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites. Optimised mixing and extrusion parameters can be the starting point for the design of efficient twin-screw extruder plasticizing system for fabrication of PLA composites with carbon nanotube and graphene fillers.