Nanocomposite films based on a PLA matrix containing
a MMT nanofiller are materials offering potentially very
wide applications. They exhibit low permeability to various
substances, including water vapour, oxygen and carbon
dioxide, towards which the MMT platelets are effective
diffusion barriers. A 5% fraction of MMT in the PLA matrix
significantly improves the film barrier properties, because
it reduces the transmission of water vapour by more than
40%, of oxygen by almost 40% and of carbon dioxide by up
to more than 80%. The use of MMT as a component of the
films based on the PLA matrix eliminates to a great extent
the necessity to apply additional additives that reduce the
gas transmission.