We report the in-situ synthesis of poly(lactic acid)–halloysite nanotubes (PLA-HNT) bionanocomposites, with a perspective to improve the interaction between PLA and HNT. Three PLA-HNT bionanocomposites with different HNT weight percentages were synthesized by polycondensation, followed by azeotropic distillation technique. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies indicated the existence of hydrogen bonding between terminal hydroxyl groups of PLA and Si–O–Si groups present in the outer surface of HNT. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction, ²⁹Si- and ²⁷Al-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy analysis confirmed the intercalation of PLA into HNT. Scanning electron microscopy analysis confirmed that there was no significant agglomeration and PLA matrix was found to be embedded with HNT. Transmission electron microscopy analysis also gave ample proof to substantiate the intercalation of PLA chains into HNT. Studies on zeta potential of PLA-HNT bionanocomposites, as compared with PLA, also confirmed the interactions between PLA and HNT. Single melting peak in differential scanning calorimetry analysis indicated the existence of one form of crystalline structure.

我们报告原位合成的聚（乳酸）-硅藻土纳米管（PLA-HNT）纳米复合材料，以改善PLA和HNT之间的相互作用。通过缩聚反应，再通过共沸蒸馏技术，合成了三种具有不同HNT重量百分比的PLA-HNT纳米复合材料。傅里叶变换红外光谱研究表明，PLA的末端羟基与HNT外表面的Si–O–Si基之间存在氢键。广角X射线衍射，²⁹ Si和²⁷铝核磁共振波谱分析证实了PLA插入HNT中。扫描电子显微镜分析证实没有明显的团聚，并且发现PLA基质被HNT包埋。透射电子显微镜分析也提供了充分的证据来证实PLA链插入HNT中。与PLA相比，PLA-HNT纳米复合材料的Zeta电位研究也证实了PLA与HNT之间的相互作用。差示扫描量热分析中的单个熔融峰表明存在一种形式的晶体结构。