Preparation and properties of cellulose nanofiber/Ti₃C₂T_x/Poly(lactic acid) composite film

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA), a new renewable and environmentally friendly polymer material, has gained significant attention in recent years. However, its application is limited by challenges such as poor thermal stability, brittleness and limited impact resistance. At present, PLA is predominantly modified through blending, filling and copolymerization methods. Although the above modification methods can effectively improve the properties of PLA, there are still some deficiencies in some places. In this work, CNF/Ti₃C₂T_x/PLA composites were prepared by impregnation with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and cellulose nanofibers (CNF), a new two-dimensional material Ti₃C₂T_x, and a complete CNF membrane as a support framework. The effects of CNF and Ti₃C₂T_x incorporation on the thermal, mechanical and electromagnetic shielding properties of PLA were investigated using various characterization techniques including FT-IR, XRD, DSC, TGA, tensile testing and electromagnetic test characterization. The results showed that CNF can improve the thermal stability and crystallinity of PLA, where the crystallinity can reach 23.5%. CNF synergized with Ti₃C₂T_x to improve the mechanical properties of PLA, and the tensile strength was increased by 64.29%. Furthermore, Ti₃C₂T_x imparted electromagnetic shielding properties to PLA composites. The findings expand the application of PLA composites in the field of electromagnetic shielding.