Preparation and properties of thermally conductive PLA/PA 610 biomass composites

Thermally conductive biomass composites were prepared using poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/polyamide 610 (PA 610) blends as the matrix and a hexagonal boron nitride (BN) as the thermally conductive filler via a melt-blending process. The experimental results showed that BN was dispersed in the blends as the flake type morphology. T g (glass transition temperature) and T m (melting temperature) of both PLA and PA 610 remained unchanged, but the thermal degradation temperature increased up to 30°C with the addition of 50 phr BN in the blends. The tensile strength and tensile modulus increased with the incorporation of BN in the blends. The thermal conductivity of the blends could be improved with the addition of BN, reaching the highest level of 0.86 W m −1 ·K −1 for the 50 phr-filled composite. The thermal conductivities of the composites were successfully predicted via a semi-theoretical mathematical model proposed by Lewis and Nielsen.