Thermal stability of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐4‐hydroxybutyrate)/modified montmorillonite bio‐nanocomposites

Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐4‐hydroxybutyrate) (P34HB)/modified montmorillonite (EMMT) bio‐nanocomposites were prepared via melt intercalation method. The thermal stability of the bio‐nanocomposites was investigated. The results showed that the decomposition temperature (T_5%) of P34HB/EMMT bio‐nanocomposite reached 271.4°C, 39.9°C higher than that of pure P34HB. The remarkable thermal stability enhancement was presumably originated from the uniform dispersion of EMMT in the matrix and intercalated structures of P34HB/EMMT bio‐nanocomposites, which was related to the increased compatibility of EMMT and P34HB caused by the ester group in EMMT. TGA‐FTIR analysis on the thermal degradation procedures of the bio‐nanocomposites manifested that the introduction of EMMT did not alter the degradation mechanism of P34HB. However, the intercalated structures hindered the mobility of P34HB macromolecular and slowed down the decomposing process of P34HB. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:673–681, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers