Preparation of PBT/POE-g-GMA/PP ternary blends with good rigidity–toughness balance by core–shell particles

Compared with poly(butylene terephthalate)/glycidyl methacrylate grafted poly(ethylene–octene) (PBT/POE-g-GMA) binary blends, supertough PBT-based ternary blends with little rigidity loss were successfully obtained by adding rigid polypropylene (PP) into PBT/POE-g-GMA blends to construct core–shell particles during melt blending. The effects of PP content and type on the phase morphology and mechanical properties of the blends were systematically investigated. Theoretical predictions and scanning electron microscopy observation showed that a core–shell structure was formed in PBT matrix with PP as the core and POE-g-GMA as the shell. The mechanical property tests showed that POE-g-GMA and PP had significant synergistic toughening effect. When PP with high melt flow index (H-PP) was used, PBT/POE-g-GMA/H-PP (70/15/15) blends possessed the highest Izod notched impact strength, which was 1.9-fold compared with PBT/POE-g-GMA (70/30) binary blends, while the tensile performance loss was little. The essential work of fracture tests was performed to evaluate the fracture resistance of different samples. The results demonstrated that PBT/POE-g-GMA/PP ternary blends possessed much better resistance to crack propagation than PBT/POE-g-GMA binary blends. The decrease of interparticle distance and the fibrillation of core–shell particles activated intense matrix shear yielding, which was the reason for the high crack resistance of ternary blends. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48872.     

Compatibilization of Poly(ethylene terephthalate)/Polypropylene Blends with Maleic Anhydride Grafted Polyethylene-Octene Elastomer

Blends of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and polypropylene (PP) at composition 80/20 with and without a compatibilizing agent were studied. Both materials are widely used in the soft drink bottle industry. The compatibilizing agent was a maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene-octene elastomer (POE-g-MA). The olefinic segment of POE is compatible with PP, whereas the maleic anhydride is affined with PET carbonyl groups. The effectiveness of the compatibilizing agent was evaluated using different techniques, such as Fourier transform IR spectroscopy, mechanical analysis, scanning electron microscopy, dynamic mechanical analysis, and rheological analysis. The results show that the addition of POE-g-MA promotes a fine dispersed-phase morphology, and improves process ability and toughness of these blends. Shifts in the glass-transition temperature of the PET phase and the increase in the melt viscosity of the compatibilized blends indicated enhanced interactions between the discrete PET and PP phases induced by the functional compatibilizer.     

Enhancement in the mechanical properties of in situ microfibrillar PLA/POE composites

In situ microfibrillar poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/polyolefin elastomer (POE) composites (MFCs) with and without compatibilizer POE-g-GMA were prepared using a multistage stretching equipment. The results showed that the distribution of PLA inside the POE matrix for the MFCs without compatibilizer was in the form of microfibrils, and most of the PLA microfibrils were well-oriented and arranged in the matrix. Further, the high PLA content was more likely to form longer PLA microfibrils in MFCs. With the increase in the amount of POE-g-GMA for (PLA/POE, 20/80) system, the length of PLA microfibrils significantly decreased, whereas the average diameter increased. The addition of 2 wt% POE-g-GMA increased the tensile strength and elongation at the break of POE-20-2 by 52.7% and 53.5%, respectively, and the crystallization temperature increased by about 4°C.     

Toughened polyoxymethylene by polyolefin elastomer and glycidyl methacrylate grafted high‐density polyethylene

Ternary blends of polyoxymethylene (POM), polyolefin elastomer (POE), and glycidyl methacrylate grafted high density polyethylene (GMA‐g‐HDPE) with various component ratios were studied for their mechanical and thermal properties. The size of POE dispersed phase increased with increasing the elastomer content due to the observed agglomeration. The notched impact strength demonstrated a parabolic tendency with increasing the elastomer content and reached the peak value of 10.81 kJ/m² when the elastomer addition was 7.5 wt%. The disappearance of epoxy functional groups in the POM/POE/GMA‐g‐HDPE blends indicated that GMA‐g‐HDPE reacted with the terminal hydroxyl groups of POM and formed a new graft copolymer. Higher thermal stability was observed in the modified POM. Both storage modulus and loss modulus decreased from dynamic mechanical analysis tests while the loss factor increased with increasing the elastomer content. GMA‐g‐HDPE showed good compatibility between the POM matrix and the POE dispersed phase due to the reactive compatibilization of the epoxy groups of GMA and the terminal hydroxyl groups of POM. A POM/POE blend without compatibilizer was researched for comparison, it was found that the properties of P‐7.5(POM/POE 92.5 wt%/7.5 wt%) were worse than those of the blend with the GMA‐g‐HDPE compatibilizer. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 57:1119–1126, 2017. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Improving the foaming and mechanical properties of the in situ microfiber-reinforced polyethylene terephthalate/polypropylene composites through compatibilization

The in situ microfiber-reinforced polyethylene terephthalate/isotactic polypropylene (15/85, w/w) composite (PET/iPP MRC) was successfully obtained through the micro-nano-laminating co-extrusion by using polypropylene-grafted-glycidyl methacrylate (PP-g-GMA) as a compatibilizer. The effect of the compatibilizer on the rheological behavior, micromorphology of PET/iPP MRC, foaming capability and the mechanical properties of foamed PET/iPP MRC was investigated. Extensional rheology measurement revealed the strain hardening of PET/iPP MRC is more obviously than iPP and with compatibilizer added. Scanning electron microscope observation indicated that the introduction of PP-g-GMA compatibilizer can improve the compatibility between PET and PP and subsequently lead to the decrease of diameter of PET microfibers. In addition, the incorporating of PP-g-GMA compatibilizer can also decrease the diameter and enhance the cell density of PET/iPP MRC cell. Both the tensile strength and the impact strength of the PET/iPP MRC foam are higher than that of the iPP foam, and improved with the compatibilizer added.     

A probe into the status quo of interfacial adhesion in the compatibilized ternary blends with core/shell droplets: Selective versus dictated compatibilization

A simple approach was applied to probe into the situation of interfacial adhesion in the compatibilized ternary polymer blends with core/shell morphology. The performance of compatibilization was discussed in terms of thermal, rheological, and mechanical properties analyses for blends prepared through different mixing strategies for which maleic anhydride‐grafted high‐density polyethylene (HDPE‐g‐MAH) could be localized at the interface of HDPE/poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl alcohol) copolymer (EVOH) or HDPE/polyamide 6 (PA‐6) in their ternary blends. Two mixing strategies, one simultaneously (one‐step or selective) and two sequentially (two‐step or dictated), were performed, compared, and discussed. It was found that mixing policy (dictated or selective) significantly changes the interfacial adhesion, as signaled by variations in rheological and thermal properties. In the case of mechanical properties, facilitation of stress transfer across the matrix/shell/core interfaces was detected by calculation of semi‐experimental models' coefficients. It was found that one‐step mixing or selective localization of HDPE‐g‐MAH helps in accumulation of more compatibilizer molecules at the interface HDPE/EVOH or EVOH/PA‐6. By contrast, addition of compatibilizer to minor phase (masterbatch of EVOH and PA‐6) or to HDPE matrix alone in case of two‐step blending causes imperfect stress transfer. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45503.     

Phase structure and properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/high‐density polyethylene based on recycled materials

Blends based on recycled high density polyethylene (R‐HDPE) and recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) (R‐PET) were made through reactive extrusion. The effects of maleated polyethylene (PE‐g‐MA), triblock copolymer of styrene and ethylene/butylene (SEBS), and 4,4′‐methylenedi(phenyl isocyanate) (MDI) on blend properties were studied. The 2% PE‐g‐MA improved the compatibility of R‐HDPE and R‐PET in all blends toughened by SEBS. For the R‐HDPE/R‐PET (70/30 w/w) blend toughened by SEBS, the dispersed PET domain size was significantly reduced with use of 2% PE‐g‐MA, and the impact strength of the resultant blend doubled. For blends with R‐PET matrix, all strengths were improved by adding MDI through extending the PET molecular chains. The crystalline behaviors of R‐HDPE and R‐PET in one‐phase rich systems influenced each other. The addition of PE‐g‐MA and SEBS consistently reduced the crystalline level (χ_c) of either the R‐PET or the R‐HDPE phase and lowered the crystallization peak temperature (T_c) of R‐PET. Further addition of MDI did not influence R‐HDPE crystallization behavior but lowered the χ_c of R‐PET in R‐PET rich blends. The thermal stability of R‐HDPE/R‐PET 70/30 and 50/50 (w/w) blends were improved by chain‐extension when 0.5% MDI was added. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

VC／BA共混物增容PVC／HDPE共混体系的研究

采用氯乙烯—丙烯酸丁酯(VC/BA)共混物作为聚氯乙烯(PVC)/高密度聚乙烯(HDPE)共混物的增容剂,通过冲击实验、拉仲实验、动态力学分析,系统地研究了共混体系性能与其结构之间的关系。通过Brabender流变仪测定了VC/BA共混物增容PVC/HDPE共混体系的流变性能。结果表明,VC/BA共混物是PVC/HDPE共混体系的良好增容剂。在一定范围内,VC/BA共混物与HDPE对PVC有协同增韧效应。vC/BA和HDPE的加入改善了PVC的塑化和流变性能     

Effects of component addition protocol on the reactive compatibilization of HDPE/PET blends

Polyethylene terephtyalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) constitute a major portion of the thermoplastic materials currently being used in the packaging industry. Blends of HDPE/PET can be compatibilized by utilizing ester groups or terminal carboxyl and hydroxyl groups present in PET. An ethyleneglycidyl methacrylate copolymer (EGMA) was found to be very effective in compatibilizing this blend by forming a compatibilizer in-situ. The in-situ formation of the compatibilizer and its distribution could be affected by different sequences and modes of component addition. To determine the best protocol of component addition for such a reactive compatibilization process, different sequences and modes of component addition were tried out in an intensive batch mixer and in a twin-screw extruder. All these experiments resulted in blends with vastly different dispersion of the minor phase and mechanical properties. In general, sequences where the reactive polymer was grouped with the nonpolar component of the blend initially resulted in the best compatibilization.     

Rice straw fiber reinforced high density polyethylene composite: Effect of coupled compatibilizating and toughening treatment

In this study, rice‐straw (RS) filled high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites were manufactured by extrusion and injection molding. Three compatibilizers, which are unfunctionalized ethylene/propylene copolymer (uEPR), maleic anhydride grafted EPR (EPR‐g‐MA) and PE‐g‐MA, and their combinations were introduced to strengthen fiber‐matrix interphase. The mechanical and morphological properties of composites were investigated. For single‐compatibilizer system, PE‐g‐MA or EPR‐g‐MA alone enhanced tensile, flexural, and impact strengths of resultant composites compared with HDPE/RS system without compatibilizers. Different toughening origins of individual compatibilizer were discussed based on composites' interphase morphologies and mechanical properties. For combined‐compatibilizers system, the PE‐g‐MA/EPR weight ratio is important for several properties of composites. The optimum ratio was considered as 2 : 1 and 1 : 1 for PE‐g‐MA/uEPR and PE‐g‐MA/EPR‐g‐MA modified composites, respectively. Also, composites modified by combined PE‐g‐MA/EPR‐g‐MA showed better impact strength than that modified by PE‐g‐MA alone. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Influence of a compatibilizer on the properties of polyethylene–octene elastomer/starch blends

The effect of a compatibilizer on the properties of corn starch‐reinforced metallocene polyethylene–octene elastomer (POE) blends was studied. The compatibility between POE and starch was improved markedly with an acrylic acid‐grafted POE (POE‐g‐AA) copolymer as a compatibilizer. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy were used to examine the blends produced. The size of the starch phase increased with an increasing content of starch for noncompatibilized and compatibilized blends. The POE/starch blends compatibilized with the POE‐g‐AA copolymer lowered the size of the starch phase and had a fine dispersion and homogeneity of starch in the POE matrix. This better dispersion was due to the formation of branched and crosslinked macromolecules because the POE‐g‐AA copolymer had anhydride groups to react with the hydroxyls. This was reflected in the mechanical properties of the blends, especially the tensile strength at break. In a comparison with pure POE, the decrease in the tensile strength was slight for compatibilized blends containing up to 40 wt % starch. The POE‐g‐AA copolymer was an effective compatibilizer because only a small amount was required to improve the mechanical properties of POE/starch blends. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 1792–1798, 2002     

Study of compatibilization of HDPE–PET blends by adding grafted or statistical copolymers

The reactive compatibilization of blends of HDPE–PET [high‐density polyethylene–poly(ethylene terephthalate)] was investigated in this study. The compatibilizers used were two grafted copolymers prepared by reactive extrusion containing 1.20–2.30 wt % GMA such as HDPE‐g‐GMA and one statistical copolymer containing 1 wt % GMA such as Lotader AX8920. HDPE was successfully functionalized using a melt free‐radical grafting technique. Grafting was initiated in two ways: adding an initiator in the polymer–monomer mixture or activation by ozone of polymer. Ozonization of HDPE by the introduction of a peroxide lead to a better grafting yield and to better grafting efficiency of the samples. The effects of the three compatibilizers were evaluated by studying the morphology and the thermal and mechanical properties of HDPE–PET (70/30 wt %) blends. Significant improvements were observed, especially in morphology, elongation at break, and Charpy impact strength of the compatibilized blends. A more pronounced compatibilizing effect was obtained with the statistical copolymer, for which the elongation at break and the impact strength were increased by 100%, while the uncompatibilized blends showed a 60% decrease in the Young's modulus and the strength at break. We also were able to show that the grafting yield increase of 1.20–2.30 wt % of GMA did not affect the properties of the blends because the grafted copolymers possess very similar chemical structures. However, compatibilization of blends with grafted copolymers is an interesting method, particularly for recycled blends, because the synthesis of these compatibilizers is easy and cheap in comparison to statistical copolymer. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 81: 2377–2386, 2001     

An investigation on recycled PET/PP and recycled PET/PP‐EP compatibilized blends: Rheological,morphological, and mechanical properties

The effectiveness of P(E‐co‐MA‐co‐GMA) as a compatibilizer for recycled PET/PP and recycled PET/PP‐EP (polypropylene (ethylene‐propylene) heterophase copolymer) blends was investigated by means of morphological (scanning electron microscopy), rheological (small amplitude oscillatory shear), mechanical (tensile, flexural and impact tests), and thermal (differential scanning calorimetry) properties. Compatibilizer concentration ranged from 1 to 5 wt % with respect to the whole blend. All blends were obtained in a 90/10 composition using a twin screw extruder. Compatibilization effects for PETr/PP‐EP were more pronounced due to ethylene segments present in both PP‐EP and P(E‐co‐EA‐co‐GMA). PETr/PP‐EP has shown greater dispersed phase size reduction, a more solid‐like complex viscosity behavior and larger storage modulus at low frequencies in relation to PETr/PP blend. For both investigated blends, mechanical properties indicated an improvement in both elongation at break and impact strength with increasing compatibilizer content. PETr/PP‐EP blends showed improved performance for the same level of compatibilizer content. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41892.     

Phase structure and viscoelastic properties of compatibilized blends of PET and HDPE recyclates

Immiscible blends of recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) (R‐PET), containing some amount of polymeric impurities, and high‐density polyethylene (R‐PE), containing admixture of other polyolefins, in weight compositions of 75 : 25 and 25 : 75 were compatibilized with selected compatibilizers: maleated styrene–ethylene/butylene–styrene block copolymer (SEBS‐g‐MA) and ethylene–glycidyl methacrylate copolymer (EGMA). The efficiency of compatibilization was investigated as a function of the compatibilizer content. The rheological properties, phase structure, thermal, and viscoelastic behavior for compatibilized and binary blends were studied. The results are discussed in terms of phase morphology and interfacial adhesion among components. It was shown that the addition of the compatibilizer to R‐PET‐rich blends and R‐PE‐rich blends increases the melt viscosity of these systems above the level characteristic for the respective binary blends. The dispersion of the minor phase improved with increasing compatibilizer content, and the largest effects were observed for blends compatibilized with EGMA. Calorimetric studies indicated that the presence of a compatibilizer had a slight affect on the crystallization behavior of the blends. The dynamic mechanical analysis provided evidence that the occurrence of interactions of the compatibilizer with blend components occurs through temperature shift and intensity change of a β‐relaxation process of the PET component. An analysis of the loss spectra behavior suggests that the optimal concentration of the compatibilizers in the considered blends is close to 5 wt %. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 82: 1423–1436, 2001     

An investigation on the role of GMA grafting degree on the efficiency of PET/PP-<Emphasis Type="Italic">g</Emphasis>-GMA reactive blending: morphology and mechanical properties

Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) has been grafted on polypropylene (PP) with the aid of styrene (St) comonomer, by changing dicumyl peroxide initiator content, GMA level, and St concentration. The performance of the resulting PP-g-GMA reactive material towards static and dynamic mechanical properties of poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) was monitored in terms of grafting reaction variables and compatibilizer content. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, mechanical properties, melt flow rate, and impact strength analyses were applied to correlate structural changes due to grafting (or undesired chain scission) with blends’ properties. The competition between the desired reaction, i.e., GMA grafting onto PP chain, and undesired chain scission of PP macroradicals due to thermal degradation, was discussed based on torque–time curves and mechanical properties. Manipulation of grafting variables was responsible for a special behavior over properties, means that optimal or ascending/descending trends, which noticed high sensitivity of PET toughening to GMA grafting efficiency.     

Effect of PE-g-MA-Compatibilizer on the Morphology and Mechanical Properties of 70/30 HDPE/ENR Blends

The effects of PE-g-MA as a compatibilizer in binary blends of 70/30 high-density polyethylene/epoxidized natural rubber (HDPE/ENR) have been investigated by means of mechanical analysis and scanning electron microscopy. The special emphasis was given to the role of PE-g-MA in inducing interactions between HDPE and ENR. It has been observed that increasing the amount of PE-g-MA in the blend increases the tensile strength, elongation at break, and impact strength. It is believed that the degree of cross-link increased, which led to improve the interaction between the HDPE and ENR. The optimum stress values are shown in the blend containing 6% PE-g-MA. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) of the samples also indicated that the addition of compatibilizer decreases the domain size of the dispersed phase. Well-dispersed plastic particles in a rubber matrix were strongly indicated in these samples. The results obtained reveal that the addition of PE-g-MA in HDPE/ENR blend led to an increase in the homogeneity of the blends.     

Analysis and modeling of modified styrene–acrylonitrile/carboxylated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber nanocomposites filled with graphene and graphene oxide: Interfacial interaction and nonlinear elastoplastic behavior

Nonlinear elastoplastic behavior of the nanocomposites based on the styrene–acrylonitrile/carboxylated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (SAN/XNBR) blend was investigated using experimental and theoretical analysis. Graphene, graphene oxide nanoparticles, and glycidyl methacrylate-grafted-XNBR (XNBR-g-GMA) as a compatibilizer were incorporated in the SAN/XNBR blends. In this regard, the focus of this study is on modeling of the stress–strain behavior of these nanocomposites, considering the effect of the interfacial interactions made by compatibilizer. For this purpose, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) techniques were used to investigate the relationship between microstructure and mechanical properties of nanocomposites. In addition, FESEM and TEM images showed that the presence of a compatibilizer could influence the dispersion and localization of the nanoparticles. According to the tensile test results, the presence of the compatibilizer increased the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites, specifically elongation at break. Considering the nanocomposite containing compatibilizer and graphene oxide, the elongation at break increased about 570% compared with the nanocomposite without compatibilizer. Better dispersion of graphene oxide and the creation of chemical interaction among components in the presence of the XNBR-g-GMA compatibilizer could be the reasons for these improvements, as confirmed by TEM. The usage of the Bergstrom–Boyce model for analyzing the nonlinear elastoplastic behavior of the nanocomposites illustrated proper conformity with the experimental data in the elastic region. However, there are some deviations in the viscoplastic region, particularly close to the breaking elongation region.     

Blends of recycled polycarbonate and acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene: comparing the effect of reactive compatibilizers on mechanical and morphological properties

Blends of recycled polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) were prepared and some mechanical and morphological properties were investigated. To compatibilize these blends, ABS‐g‐(maleic anhydride) (ABS‐g‐MA) and (ethylene–vinyl acetate)‐g‐(maleic anhydride) (EVA‐g‐MA) with similar degree of grafting of 1.5% were used. To compare the effect of the type of compatibilizer on mechanical properties, blends were prepared using 3, 5 and 10 phr of each compatibilizer. A co‐rotating twin‐screw extruder was used for blending. The results showed that ABS‐g‐MA had no significant effect on the tensile strength of the blends while EVA‐g‐MA decreased the tensile strength, the maximum decrease being about 9.6% when using 10 phr of this compatibilizer. The results of notched Charpy impact strength tests showed that EVA‐g‐MA increased the impact strength of blends more than ABS‐g‐MA. The maximum value of this increase occurred when using 5 phr of each compatibilizer, it being about 54% for ABS‐g‐MA and 165% for EVA‐g‐MA. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs showed that the particle size of the dispersed phase was decreased in the continuous phase of PC by using the compatibilizers. Moreover, a blend without compatibilizer showed brittle behaviour while the blends containing compatibilizer showed ductile behaviour in fracture. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry     

Influence of high density polyethylene‐g‐maleic anhydride on compatibility and properties of poly(butylene terephthalate)/high density polyethylene blends

Poly(butylene terephthalate)/high density polyethylene (PBT/HDPE) blends and PBT/HDPE‐grafted maleic anhydride (PBT/HDPE‐g‐MAH) blends were prepared by the reactive extrusion approach, and the effect of blend compositions on the morphologies and properties of PBT/HDPE blends and PBT/HDPE‐g‐MAH blends was studied in detail. The results showed that flexural strength, tensile strength, and notched impact strength of PBT/HDPE blends decreased with the addition of HDPE, and flexural strength and tensile strength of PBT/HDPE‐g‐MAH blends decreased, while the notched impact strength of PBT/HDPE‐g‐MAH increased with the addition of HDPE‐g‐MAH. Compared with PBT/HDPE blends, the dimension of the dispersed phase particles in PBT/HDPE‐g‐MAH blends was decreased and the interfacial adhesion was increased. On the other hand, the effects of HDPE and HDPE‐g‐MAH contents on the crystalline and the rheological properties of the blends were also investigated. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 6081–6087, 2006     

Compatibilizing effect of starch‐grafted‐poly(L‐lactide) on the poly(ε‐caprolactone)/starch composites

The poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL)/starch blends were prepared with a coextruder by using the starch grafted PLLA copolymer (St‐g‐PLLA) as compatibilizers. The thermal, mechanical, thermo‐mechanical, and morphological characterizations were performed to show the better performance of these blends compared with the virgin PCL/starch blend without the compatibilizer. Interfacial adhesion between PCL matrix and starch dispersion phases dominated by the compatibilizing effects of the St‐g‐PLLA copolymers was significantly improved. Mechanical and other physical properties were correlated with the compatibilizing effect of the St‐g‐PLLA copolymer. With the addition of starch acted as rigid filler, the Young's modulus of the PCL/starch blends with or without compatibilizer all increased, and the strength and elongation were decreased compared with pure PCL. Whereas when St‐g‐PLLA added into the blend, starch and PCL, the properties of the blends were improved markedly. The 50/50 composite of PCL/starch compatibilized by 10% St‐g‐PLLA gave a tensile strength of 16.6 MPa and Young's modulus of 996 MPa, respectively, vs. 8.0 MPa and 597 MPa, respectively, for the simple 50/50 blend of PCL/starch. At the same time, the storage modulus of compatibilized blends improved to 2940 MPa. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010