Rheology, mechanical properties and crystallization behavior of glycidyl methacrylate grafted poly(ethylene octene) toughened poly(lactic acid) blends

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/poly(ethylene octene) grafted with glycidyl methacrylate (POE-g-GMA denoted as GPOE) blends were prepared via simple melt compounding method at GPOE loadings from 5 to 20wt%. GPOE can significantly affect the physical properties of PLA. Compared to neat PLA, the elongation at break and impact strength of the blends were significantly improved. Scanning electron micrograph analysis revealed large numbers of cavities in the fracture surface of the blends, and the size of the cavities increased along with the increase of GPOE content in the PLA/GPOE blends. Furthermore, the overall crystallization rates were faster in the PLA/GPOE blends than that in neat PLA. However, the crystallization mechanism and crystal structure of these blends remained unchanged despite the presence of GPOE. The addition of GPOE decreased the degree of crystallinity of PLA. The toughened PLA could be of great use and importance for wider practical applications.