Haake minilab 2

Blank rods (1 mm × 10 mm; n = 20) based on P(l-LA:GA:TMC) (P(l-LA:GA:TMC) rods) and rods with 10% w/w of ARP (Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Linhai City, China) (P(l-LA:GA:TMC) rods-ARP) (1 mm × 10 mm; n = 20) were formulated by HME in a co-rotating twin-screw extruder (Thermo Scientific, Haake MiniLab II, Karlsruhe, Germany).
Before the process, raw terpolymer was air-dried and subjected to grinding at a temperature of −196 °C in a cryogenic mill (6870 SPEX, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Ottawa, ON, Canada). Then, ARP was introduced to the milled terpolymer. The mixture was vortexed and subsequently placed in a vacuum oven with a temperature of 23 °C and a pressure of 80 mbar for 14 days, then fed to an extruder cylinder heated to 105 °C. This process was carried out in a co-rotating twin screw extruder (Thermo Scientific, Haake MiniLab II, Karlsruhe, Germany) using a plasticizing screw rotational speed of 20 rpm. The molten mixture was extruded through a 0.7 mm diameter die and chilled on a roll. Then, rods 1 mm in diameter and 10 mm in length were formulated. P(l-LA:GA:TMC) rods were formulated according to the same procedure without ARP.
The EB irradiation of the rods was performed using an EB accelerator (10 MeV, 360 mA, 25 kGy) (The Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Warsaw, Poland; Certificate no. 625/2017/E).

The first appropriate amounts of ingredients were weighted with an analytic balance (Pioneer Semi-Micro PX225DM, OHAUS Corporation, Parsippany, NJ, USA) with an accuracy of 0.01 mg and mixed. After that, the composition was melt-blended with a co-rotating twin-screw extruder (HAAKE MiniLab II, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Karlsruche, Germany) at 463.15 K, with a rotation speed of 50 rpm. Samples of unfilled PLA were prepared as well, with the same processing condition. Extruded nanocomposites were palletized and were then injection-molded into bars with 10 × 60 × 1 mm dimensions using a HAAKE MinJet II (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Karlsruche, Germany). The temperature of the cylinder was set to 483.15 K and 333.15 K for the mold. Plasticization time was 2 min, and the injection pressure and time were set, respectively, to 950 bar and 5 s. Additionally, one sample of unfilled PLA was prepared directly by injection molding (without previous extrusion) and was labeled as uuPLA. Using a heated press and cylindrical knife, samples were formed into a disc with a 20 mm diameter.