TY - JOUR
T1 - Improvement of microstructures and properties of biodegradable PLLA and PCL blends compatibilized with a triblock copolymer
AU - Vilay, V.
AU - Mariatti, M.
AU - Ahmad, Zulkifli
AU - Pasomsouk, K.
AU - Todo, Mitsugu
PY - 2010/10/1
Y1 - 2010/10/1
N2 - Incompatibility and immiscible binary blends of poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) and poly(e{open}-caprolactone) (PCL) with 70/30wt.% composition were modified and prepared by addition of 0.5, 1 and 2phr of polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide-polyethylene oxide (PEO-PPO-PEO) triblock copolymer. The effect of the copolymer ratio on the microstructures and properties of the blends was investigated using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, thermo-gravimetric analysis, and Mode I fracture testing. The addition of the copolymer to PLLA/PCL improved its fracture toughness. A reduction in the amount of spherical of PCL upon the addition of copolymers was confirmed by FE-SEM. The glass transition temperature (Tg) and melting temperature (Tm) of PLLA and PCL shifted closer together, indicating that the blend compatibility increased. Thus, PEO-PPO-PEO can be employed as compatibilizer to improve the toughness and compatibility of PLLA/PCL blends.
AB - Incompatibility and immiscible binary blends of poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) and poly(e{open}-caprolactone) (PCL) with 70/30wt.% composition were modified and prepared by addition of 0.5, 1 and 2phr of polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide-polyethylene oxide (PEO-PPO-PEO) triblock copolymer. The effect of the copolymer ratio on the microstructures and properties of the blends was investigated using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, thermo-gravimetric analysis, and Mode I fracture testing. The addition of the copolymer to PLLA/PCL improved its fracture toughness. A reduction in the amount of spherical of PCL upon the addition of copolymers was confirmed by FE-SEM. The glass transition temperature (Tg) and melting temperature (Tm) of PLLA and PCL shifted closer together, indicating that the blend compatibility increased. Thus, PEO-PPO-PEO can be employed as compatibilizer to improve the toughness and compatibility of PLLA/PCL blends.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.msea.2010.07.079
DO - 10.1016/j.msea.2010.07.079
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77956444696
VL - 527
SP - 6930
EP - 6937
JO - Materials Science & Engineering A: Structural Materials: Properties, Microstructure and Processing
JF - Materials Science & Engineering A: Structural Materials: Properties, Microstructure and Processing
SN - 0921-5093
IS - 26
ER -