| Affiliation: | 1. School of Polymer Engineering, Institute of Engineering, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
Center for Petroleum, Petrochemical and Advanced materials, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand;2. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand;3. School of Polymer Engineering, Institute of Engineering, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand |
| Abstract: | Natural rubber (NR) was melt blended with polylactic acid (PLA) at various ratios using an internal mixer. The impact strength and elongation at break of PLA/NR blend dramatically increased with increasing NR content up to 10% (w/w). Glycidyl methacrylate-grafted natural rubber (NR-g-GMA) was used as a compatibilizer for PLA/NR blend. The effects of content and %grafting of NR-g-GMA on mechanical properties of PLA/NR blend were studied. The experimental result showed that the addition of NR-g-GMA in PLA/NR blend significantly improved impact strength and elongation at break of PLA/NR blend when compared with that of neat PLA and PLA/NR blend without NR-g-GMA. The impact strength and elongation at break of PLA/NR blend increased with increasing NR-g-GMA content up to 1% (w/w). Moreover, with increasing % grafting of NR-g-GMA in PLA/NR blend up to 4.35, the impact strength and elongation at break of the blend increased. Morphological and thermal property of PLA, PLA/NR, and PLA/NR/NR-g-GMA were elucidated as well. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012 |
