Mechanical Properties and Morphological Characterization of PLA/Chitosan/Epoxidized Natural Rubber Composites

Abstract

Poly (lactic acid) (PLA)/chitosan (CS) natural polymer/epoxidised natural rubber (ENR) composites were successfully prepared through a solution casting method. The morphological characteristics of fabricated composites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy. The microstructure of PLA/ENR was significantly altered with the addition of CS. SEM analysis of composites fractured surfaces revealed smooth and homogeneous texture and good dispersion of CS. However for 15 wt% CS composites, the phase segregation and poor adhesion between the polymers were observed. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed some levels of attractive interaction between CS, PLA, and ENR in the composites. The mechanical properties of composites in terms of tensile strength and tensile modulus were significantly improved with the addition of CS into the matrix while the percent elongation at break decreased. The tensile strength increased up to 5 wt% CS loading for both PLA/CS and PLA/ENR/CS and thereafter decreased while Young’s modulus increased up to 10 wt%. However, when the CS content was increased to 15 wt%, the tensile strength and tensile modulus were slightly decreased. These improvements were attributed to good dispersion of CS at the optimum filler levels and attractive interaction between the composites components.

Physical and mechanical properties of PLA, and their functions in widespread applications — A comprehensive review

“…So, it can be anticipated that future developments will keep including blends of PLA, copolymers, and impact-modified products, which will also further expand the applications where this unique polymer can be used. Besides that, we do expect for the nearby future increasing research interest in the following four areas: a) PLA blends stability: recently, several PLA blends based synthetic or natural components have been reported and found very efficient in PLA properties improvement [235,[330][331][332][333][334][335][336][337][338][339][340][341][342][343]. However, very limited attention have been given for studying blends stability under different aging conditions (e.g.…”

“…In this area, we have also found that less attention has been given to inorganic nano-particles while various have been recognized as possible additives to enhance the polymer performance, their potential in combination with PLA should be further studied. c) Composites of fiber mixtures: such mixtures combine the positive properties of different fibers [334][335][336][337][338][339][340][341][342][343].…”

Comparative Study of Chemical, Mechanical, Thermal, and Barrier Properties of Poly(Lactic Acid) Plasticized with Epoxidized Soybean Oil and Epoxidized Palm Oil

“…It is typical to accept that there was no interaction between a plasticizer and a thermoplastic when the FTIR spectra remained unchanged upon addition (Maizatul et al 2013), while a minute shift or peak intensity change can provide evidence of possible interaction between the materials (Al-Mulla et al 2014;Silverajah et al 2012;Zakaria et al 2013).…”

Poly(lactic acid)/ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer blend composites with wood flour and wollastonite: Physical properties, morphology, and biodegradability

“…PLA eventually disintegrates into harmless components, such as carbon dioxide, water, and other nontoxic small molecules under compost conditions in landfills . It can be used in a variety of applications owing to its several advantages such as high tensile strength, elastic modulus and transparency, good processing performance, recyclability, and environmentally friendly characteristics . Additionally, PLA can be fabricated by many standard plastic processes, including injection, compression and blow molding, extrusion, thermoforming, and film forming .…”