Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) was grafted onto natural rubber (NR) to improve the compatibility of NR and poly(lactic acid) (PLA). Polymer blend between PLA and NR-g-PAA was prepared by an internal mixer. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), tensile testing, impact testing, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were employed to determine the functional group, mechanical properties and thermal properties of blends, respectively. Results showed that the addition of NR-g-PAA significantly improved the elongation, impact strength and thermal stability of blends. The P70N30 was the optimum composition to obtain improved mechanical properties of PLA.

Wet blue leather is a waste produced by the leather industry. It is a difficult waste product to dispose of, and if not disposed of properly, it will affect the environment and cause toxicity. Therefore, recycling was considered as an alternative to waste disposal. In this study, polymer composites were prepared from two types of polymers, poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) and poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), and wet blue leather (WBL). A twin screw extruder and injection molding were used to prepare the composites. The effect of polymer type and WBL content (5, 10, and 15 wt%) on mechanical properties, thermal properties, flammability, MFI, water absorption, and morphology was investigated. All the polymer composites showed an increase in tensile and flexural strength, Young’s modulus, and water absorption but decreased in elongation at break, impact strength, and flammability compared to neat polymers.