Compatible and tearing properties of poly(lactic acid)/poly(ethylene glutaric‐co‐terephthalate) copolyester blends |
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| Authors: | Jen‐Taut Yeh Chi‐Hui Tsou Wei Lu Ya‐Ming Li Han Wen Xiao Chi‐Yuan Huang Kan‐Nan Chen Chin‐San Wu Wan‐Lan Chai |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department and Graduate School of Polymer Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan;2. Institute of Material Science and Engineering, HuBei University, Wuhan, China;3. Institute of Textiles and Material, Wuhan University of Science and Engineering, Wuhan, China;4. Department of Materials Engineering, Tatung University, Taipei, Taiwan;5. Department of Chemistry, Tamkang University, Tamsui, Taiwan;6. Department of Biochemical Engineering, Kao Yuan University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan;7. Department of Environmental Engineering, Vanung University, Tao‐Yuan, Taiwan |
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| Abstract: | Fourier transform infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance results suggest that the carboxylic acid groups of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) molecules react with the hydroxyl groups of FePol (FP) molecules during the melt‐blending of PLAxFPy specimens. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) experiments of PLA and PLA/FP specimens suggest that only small amounts of poor PLA and/or FP crystals are present in their corresponding melt crystallized specimens. In fact, the percentage crystallinity, peak melting temperature, and onset re‐crystallization temperature values of PLA/FP specimens reduce gradually as their FP contents increase. However, the glass transition temperatures of PLA molecules found by DSC and DMA reduce to a minimum value as the FP contents of PLAxFPy specimens reach 6 wt %. Further DMA and morphological analysis of PLA/FP specimens reveal that FP molecules are compatible with PLA molecules at FP contents equal to or less than 6 wt %, as no distinguished phase‐separated FP droplets and tan δ transitions were found on fracture surfaces and tan δ curves of PLA/FP specimens, respectively. In contrast to PLA, the FP specimen exhibits highly deformable and tearing properties. After blending proper amounts of FP in PLA, the inherent brittle deformation and poor tearing behavior of PLA were successfully improved. Possible reasons accounting for these interesting crystallization, compatible and tearing properties of PLA/FP specimens are proposed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 913–920, 2010 |
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| Keywords: | biodegradable biodegradable copolyester blend blending compatibility crystallization poly(lactic acid) |
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