Morphology, Mechanical Properties, and Thermal Stability of Poly(L-lactic acid)/Poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate)/Silicon Dioxide Composites

Poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBSA) and two types of SiO2 (hydrophilic or hydrophobic) were used to modify poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA). The mechanical properties, rheological and thermal behavior, phase morphology, and thermal stability of PLLA/PBSA/SiO2 composites were investigated. The impact strength, flexural strength, and modulus of PLLA/PBSA blends increased after the addition of hydrophobic SiO2 without decreasing the elongation at break, and the elongation at break monotonically decreased with increasing hydrophitic SiO2 content. The melt elasticity and viscosity of the PLLA/PBSA blend increased with the addition of SiO2. The hydrophilic SiO2 was encapsulated by the dispersed PBSA phase in the composites, which led to the formation of a core-shell structure, whereas the hydrophobic SiO2 was more uniformly dispersed and mainly located in the PLLA matrix, which was desirable for the optimum reinforcement of the PLLA/PBSA blend. The thermogravimetric analysis results show that the addition of the two types of SiO2 increased the initial decomposition temperature and activation energy and consequently retarded the thermal degradation of PLLA/PBSA. The retardation of degradation was prominent with the addition of hydrophobic SiO2. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 113: 3630-3637, 2009