In the present effort, the one-pot Fischer esterification approach
was adapted to prepare CNCs esterified with lactic acid (CNC-LA).
For comparison, CNCs esterified with acetic acid and unmodified
CNCs were also prepared. The as-modified dry state CNCs were
then compounded with commercial PLA via melt extrusion and
structureeproperty relationships of the resulting nanocomposites
was investigated. Important and unexpected differences in the
extent that these modified CNCs were dispersed in the PLA matrix
as a function of the surface topochemistry (e.g. acetate vs. lactate
and unmodified) was found which resulted in profound effects on
the corresponding nanocomposite mechanical properties.