Kikku Fukushima

National Taiwan University of Science and Technology

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D. Tabuani

Consortium GARR

Cristina Abbate

University of Catania

G. Camino

Polytechnic University of Turin

Ming‐Chien Yang

National Taiwan University of Science and Technology

Giovanni Camino

University of Turin

Mara Gennari

University of Catania

Amaliya Rasyida

Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology

Maria Arena

European Food Safety Authority

Alberto Fina

Polytechnic University of Turin

J. L. Feijoo

Simón Bolívar University

Cooperative Institutions

National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology

Polytechnic University of Turin

Azienda Sanitaria Locale Alessandria

University of Catania

University of Turin

Centro di Ricerca per l’Orticoltura

National Taiwan University of Science and Technology

Turin Polytechnic University

University of Perugia

Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos

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Biodegradation of poly(lactic acid) and its nanocomposites

Polymer Degradation and Stability (2009)

Kikku Fukushima Cristina Abbate D. Tabuani Mara Gennari G. Camino

Bacillus licheniformis

Degradation

10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2009.07.001

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Citations (336)

Nanocomposites of PLA and PCL based on montmorillonite and sepiolite

Materials Science and Engineering C (2008)

Kikku Fukushima D. Tabuani G. Camino

Thermogravimetric analysis

Sepiolite

Thermal Stability

10.1016/j.msec.2008.11.005

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Citations (295)

Abiotic degradation of poly(dl-lactide), poly(ɛ-caprolactone) and their blends

Polymer Degradation and Stability (2012)

Kikku Fukushima J. L. Feijoo Ming‐Chien Yang

Degradation

Caprolactone

Polycaprolactone

10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2012.07.030

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Citations (24)

PBAT based nanocomposites for medical and industrial applications

Materials Science and Engineering C (2012)

Kikku Fukushima Meng-Hsiu Wu Sergio Bocchini Amaliya Rasyida Ming‐Chien Yang

Sepiolite

Thermal Stability

10.1016/j.msec.2012.04.005

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Citations (218)

Polylactic Acid and Polylactic Acid-Based Nanocomposite Photooxidation

Biomacromolecules (2010)

Sergio Bocchini Kikku Fukushima Alessandro Di Blasio Alberto Fina Alberto Frache

The importance of photooxidation in promoting formation of anhydride functional groups and thus promoting hydrolysis/biodegradation of polylactic acid and PLA nanocomposites were elucidated. PLA-based nanocomposites were prepared by adding 5% wt filler content of sodium montmorillonite (ClNa), sodium montmorillonite partially exchanged with Fe(III) (ClFe), organically modified montmorillonite (Cl20A), unmodified sepiolite (SEP), and fumed silica (SiO2). The pure PLA and nanocomposites were UV-light irradiated in artificial accelerated conditions representative of solar irradiation (λ > 300 nm) at 60 °C in air. The chemical modifications resulting from photooxidation were followed by IR and UV-visible spectroscopies. The infrared analyses of PLA photooxidation show the formation of a band at 1845 cm(-1) due to the formation of anhydrides. A photooxidation mechanism based on hydroperoxide decomposition is proposed. The mechanism proposed is confirmed by an increase in anhydride formation rate: the main responsible for this acceleration was identified as transition metals contained in the nanofillers as impurities and involved in the catalytic hydroperoxide decomposition.

Polylactic Acid

10.1021/bm1006773

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Citations (165)

Properties of poly(lactic acid) nanocomposites based on montmorillonite, sepiolite and zirconium phosphonate

eXPRESS Polymer Letters (2012)

Kikku Fukushima Alberto Fina Francesco Geobaldo Alberto Venturello G. Camino

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) based nanocomposites based on 5 wt.% of an organically modified montmorillonite (CLO), unmodified sepiolite (SEP) and organically modified zirconium phosphonate (ZrP) were obtained by melt blending.Wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed a different dispersion level depending on the type and functionalisation of nanoparticles.Differenctial scanning calorimetric (DSC) analysis showed that PLA was able to crystallize on heating, and that the addition of ZrP could promote extent of PLA crystallization, whereas the presence of CLO and SEP did not significantly affect the crystallization on heating and melting behaviour of PLA matrix.Dynamic Mechanical Thermoanalysis (DMTA) results showed that addition of all nanoparticles brought considerable improvements in E! of PLA, resulting in a remarkable increase of elastic properties for PLA nanocomposites.The melt viscosity and dynamic shear moduli (G!,G") of PLA nanocomposites were also enhanced significantly by the presence of CLO and SEP, and attributed to the formation of a PLA/nanoparticle interconnected structure within the polymer matrix.The oxygen permeability of PLA did not significantly vary upon addition of SEP and ZrP nanoparticles.Only addition of CLO led to about 30% decrease compared to PLA permeability, due to the good clay dispersion and clay platelet-like morphology.The characteristic high transparency of PLA in the visible region was kept upon addition of the nanoparticles.Based on these achievements, a high potential of these PLA nanocomposites in sustainable packaging applications could be envisaged.

Sepiolite

Phosphonate

10.3144/expresspolymlett.2012.97

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Citations (83)

Chapter 5. Biopolymer-based Nanocomposites

RSC green chemistry series (2011)

Kikku Fukushima D. Tabuani Cristina Abbate

This work studies the effect of two different organically modified montmorillonites on several properties as well as biodegradation trends of poly(lactic acid)-PLA- and poly(e-caprolactone)-PCL- in compost. The used clays showed an average good dispersion into both polymer matrices, whilst the highest mechanical improvements were reached depending on clay nature and/or dispersion. These improvements were considerably higher in the case of PLA based nanocomposites, associated to a higher polymer/filler chemical affinity. Concerning to the biodegradation of PLA and PCL based nanocomposites, it was verified that nanoparticles can give different effects on the polymer degradation trend and depending on: degradation mechanism of neat polymer and clay dispersion level in the polymer. It was found that, when the degradation process of neat polymer takes place through a bulk mechanism (case of PLA), the addition of nanoclays tends to increase the polymer degradation rate because of the presence of hydroxyl groups belonging to the silicate layers, especially for the highest dispersed clay. Contrarily, when the neat polymer degradation process occurs through a preferentially surface mechanism (case of PCL), highly dispersed nanoparticles can partially delay the polymer degradation rate probably due to a more difficult pathway for microorganisms in order to attack the polymer ester groups; this last phenomenon being more evident for the most dispersed clay.

Biopolymer

10.1039/9781849733458-00129

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Citations (3)

Structure and properties of organically modified poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) based nanocomposites

IOP Conference Series Materials Science and Engineering (2017)

Amaliya Rasyida Kikku Fukushima M-C Yang

Poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) nanocomposites were prepared by melt blending PBAT with 5 wt.% of modified or unmodified montmorillonites (MMT). The effect of the presence of organic modifiers in MMT on the morphological, crystalline, thermal, and mechanical properties of PBAT nanocomposites was evaluated. The dispersion and distribution of the clays were studied by using wide angle X-ray analysis (WAXS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. Materials characterization techniques included: contact angle measurements, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry (TGA) and surface hardness analysis. As general results, nanocomposites exhibited different level of clay dispersion depending on the clay/organic modifier's chemical affinity with the polymer. Contact angle measurements show increases in the hydrophobicity level of PBAT based CLO30B, this could depict its high potential for packaging applications. In addition, Thermal analysis showed that clays partially hindered kinetics and extent of PBAT crystallization on cooling. In general, thermal properties of PBAT were improved by addition of clays, for a barrier effect of the nanoparticle towards polymer decomposition products ablation. In parallel, addition of clays led to enhancements in polymer hardness. These properties were found to be apparently influenced by clay dispersion level and chemical compatibility between the organic modifier and polymer matrix.

Adipate

Thermogravimetry

Thermal Stability

10.1088/1757-899x/223/1/012023

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Citations (9)

Biotic degradation of poly(dl-lactide) based nanocomposites

Polymer Degradation and Stability (2012)

Kikku Fukushima Enrique Giménez Luís Cabedo José M. Lagarón J. L. Feijoo

Degradation

Lactide

10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2012.05.029

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Citations (31)

Polymer Nanocomposites Biodegradation

Kikku Fukushima Giovanni Camino

This chapter summarizes the relevant published literature of the past decade about the environmental degradation process of different polymers with current interest in biodegradable polymers applications, and the effect of nanoparticles on their degradation process. It covers the main processes of environmental (bio) degradation, hydrolysis, oxidation, and composting, reported for polymers and nanocomposites. This biodegradation mechanism seems to be mainly affected by the chemical structure of the polymer and by the environmental conditions of degradation. The enzymatic factor seems to predominate the polymer degradation trend, the toxic nature of nanoparticles could play an important role in the polymer degradation process, observing that addition of nanoparticles with a strong antimicrobial effect can considerably delay the degradation. The chapter concludes that the study of the biodegradation mechanisms of polymers can contribute to predict the effect of nanoparticles on the general degradation trend of biodegradable polymers.

Degradation

Polymer degradation

Biodegradable polymer

Polymer nanocomposite

10.1002/9781118542316.ch4

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Citations (4)