In this study, natural fiber-reinforced polylactic acid (NFRP) composite materials were prepared by adding nucleating agents (NAs) and natural fiber (NF) to compensate for the low thermal stability and brittleness of polylactic acid (PLA). The thermal stability of the fabricated composite material was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. In addition, the tensile modulus of elasticity according to the crystallinity of the composite was measured. The crystallinity of the PLA composite increased to ~700% upon the addition of the NA; thus, the thermal stability also increased. However, the changes in crystallinity and tensile modulus were insignificant when the concentration of the NA added was 4 wt.% or higher. The study demonstrates that the addition of NA and NF is effective in improving the thermal stability and mechanical properties of NFRP.
Keywords: biodegradable polymer; natural fiber; natural fiber-reinforced plastics; nucleating agent; thermal stability.