Competition of Phase Separation Processes during Quasi-Isothermal Foaming of Polylactide in Carbon Dioxide Environment

The mechanisms that control the nucleation kinetics in foamed amorphous D,L-polylactide, which was preliminary plasticized using subcritical or supercritical carbon dioxide, were determined by analyzing the video data on the depressurization-induced quasi-isothermal (313.3 K) foaming of the polymer. Possible scenarios of phase separation in the polylactide–carbon dioxide system at the stage preceding active foam formation were considered.