Preparation, Mechanical and Thermal Properties of PLA/PBAT/EGMA Blends

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/Poly(butylene-adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) blends were prepared through corotating tri-screw extruder. Ethylene-methyl acrylate-glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer (EGMA) was used as a reacting compatibilizer to increase the interface bonding force. The effect of EMGA on the mechanical properties, thermal properties and chemical structure of PLA/PBAT blends were researched respectively through multi-use mechanical testing machine, differential scanning calorimeter and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results indicate that the compatibility between PLA and PBAT could be enhanced by incorporating EGMA, and all of the blends with EGMA showed increase in impact strength and elongation at break. PLA/PBAT blends showed optimum elongation at break with 6% of EGMA. DSC study also indicated the greatest crystallinity when adding 6% of EGMA. Excessive addition of EGMA instead reduced the crystallinity and elongation at break.