Abstract: This article discussed the research progress of the characterization and properties of polylactide(PLA)/montmorillonite(MMT) nanocomposites prepared by melt intercalation. It was found that organically modification of MMT expanded the distance between the layers of MMT in the nanocomposites. Because of the exfoliation/intercalation structures of MMT formed in the PLA matrix, toughness, thermal stability, gas barrier properties, and so on were improved. However, when the MMT content was high, the MMT particles tended to form clusters. The MMT particles constituted a two-dimensional nucleation agent which increased the crystallinity and the crystallization rate. Dispersed MMT particles formed a "space-linked" structure and effectively enhanced the melt strength and thus broadened the processing window. The hydroxyl groups on MMT imparted a higher biodegradation rate of the material.

Key words: polylactic acid, montmorillonite, nanocomposite, melt intercalation, property