TY - JOUR
AU - Chuayjuljit, S.
AB - This study focused on improving the toughness properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) by blending with either epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) or ENR plus nanosized silica (nSiO2). ENR with 30 mol% epoxidation (ENR-30) was synthesized via in situ performic acid epoxidation of NR latex under a controlled amount of hydrogen peroxide and formic acid. PLA was melt-mixed with three weight percentages (10–30 wt %) of ENR-30 using an internal mixer, followed by compression molding. The 80/20 PLA/ENR-30 blend showed the highest impact strength and elongation at break, indicating the optimally possible improvement in the toughness of PLA. This composition was further chosen for fabricating nanocomposites with nSiO2 at 1–3 phr. Nanocomposite at 2 phr nSiO2 revealed the highest impact strength with 1.8-fold over the neat blend, but the tensile properties of all nanocomposites decreased with the increasing nSiO2 contents. The scanning electron microscopy analysis showed a preferential distribution of nSiO2 in the ENR-30 phase rather than in the PLA phase. Based on thermal analysis results, the thermal stability of the entire nanocomposites was significantly higher than that of the neat blend, while the thermal behavior (Tg and Tm) of PLA in the nanocomposites showed no significant change.Graphic Abstract[graphic not available: see fulltext]
TI - Toughness Improvement in Bio-based Poly(Lactic Acid)/Epoxidized Natural Rubber Blend Reinforced with Nanosized Silica
JF - Journal of Polymers and the Environment
DO - 10.1007/s10924-021-02063-z
DA - 2021-01-28
UR - https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/springer-journals/toughness-improvement-in-bio-based-poly-lactic-acid-epoxidized-natural-VXZO8g3s8L
SP - 2530
EP - 2545
VL - 29
IS - 8
DP - DeepDyve
ER -