Super-Toughened Heat-Resistant Poly(lactic acid) Alloys By Tailoring the Phase Morphology and the Crystallization Behaviors

The interfacial grafting copolymerization and the compatibility between poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and ethylene-vinyl acetate-glycidyl methacrylate elastomer (EVM-GMA) are adjusted by varying the blending temperatures. High temperature is favored to the grafting reaction between epoxy groups of the EVM-GMA and terminal groups of the PLA, resulting in better compatibility between the two components. Taking PLA/EVM-GMA (80/20) blend as an example, an increase in blending temperature from 175 to 230 degrees C led to a 42.8% reduction in EVM-GMA particle size, and consequently 137.8% and 52.6% increases in elongation at break (Eb) and notched impact strength (NIS), respectively. In comparison, the Eb and NIS of PLA/EVM blends without any interfacial reaction deteriorated dramatically due to thermal degradation of the PLA at high(er) temperatures. Furthermore, the PLA/EVM-GMA blend prepared at 230 degrees C possesses both excellent toughness (Eb>60%, NIS>60kJm(-2)) and high heat deflection temperature (>90 degrees C) after annealing at 100 degrees C. This work provides a new approach in designing high-performance biobased materials which may broaden the application range of PLA in engineering areas. (c) 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. 2020, 58, 500-509