@article {Pinto2015635,
	title = {Comparative Failure Analysis of PLA, PLA/GNP and PLA/CNT-COOH Biodegradable Nanocomposites thin Films},
	journal = {Procedia Engineering},
	volume = {114},
	year = {2015},
	note = {<p>{\.I}CSI\} 2015 The 1st International Conference on Structural Integrity Funchal, Madeira, Portugal 1st to 4th September, 2015</p>
},
	pages = {635-642},
	abstract = {<p>Abstract Biodegradable polymers such as poly(lactic) acid (PLA) have been studied for biomaterials applications such as natural human ligament replacement, however these materials could be applied to other sectors as aerospace, aeronautics, automotive, food packaging. \{PLA\} presents a relatively brittle with a mode I fracture behavior, being often blend with other biodegradable or non-degradable polymers to improve its fracture energy. For some existing applications, \{PLA\} components exhibit accumulated permanent deformation resulting from dynamic mechanical inputs, resulting on failure by laxity of parts. Aiming the improvement of \{PLA\} mechanical properties, the inclusion of carbon nanofillers into \{PLA\} matrix, in particular, CNT-COOH and \{GNP\} have been developed, due to their strong sp2 carbon-carbon bondings and their geometric arrangement that enhance mechanical properties of the polymer matrix. \{PLA\} and nanocomposites were produced by melt blending followed by compression molding in a hot press, with small weight percentages of nanofillers added to the matrix. Quasi static tensile tests were performed on a mechanical testing machine (Instron{\texttrademark} ElectroPuls E1000) along with failure analysis of specimens with centered crack with digital image correlation, revealing strain distribution along specimens.</p>
},
	keywords = {biodegradable nanocomposites, Biodegradable polymers, CNT-COOH, DIC, FTM, GNP, mechanical failure, PLA},
	doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2015.08.004},
	url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877705815016434},
	author = {V.C. Pinto and Tiago Ramos and Sofia Alves and J. Xavier and Paulo Tavares and P.M.G.P. Moreira and Rui Miranda Guedes}
}
