Fabrication and Characterization of PLA/SiO2/Al2O3 Composites Prepared by Sol-Gel Process

In this study, polylactic acid (PLA)/SiO2/Al2O3 composites were prepared using a sol-gel process. The influences of SiO2, Al2O3 and SiO2/Al2O3 content on the physical properties of the PLA composites were investigated. The experimental results showed that SiO2 and Al2O3 were uniformly distributed in the PLA matrix, and increased the storage modulus of the PLA. A thermochemical analysis (TMA) indicates that the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) values of PLA/SiO2 4%/Al2O3 1% were 225 times higher than that of PLA. A thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that the thermal degradation (Td) of PLA decreased following the addition of Al2O3; however, adding SiO2 does not significantly prevent the Td of PLA.