Research and development of novel Copolymers of PC/PLA

Abstract

The impact strength and heat distortion temperature (HDT) of Polycarbonate (PC)/Polylactic acid (PLA) blends was developed by adding reactive compatibilizers. Polycarbonate (PC) is an engineering thermoplastic which has high impact strength and heat resistance. However, because of environmental concern. the consumption of bio-based polymer is rising up for recent years. PLA is a bio-based polymer with high strength. Blending PLA with PC is an efficient way due to accepted mechanical properties of PLA. PC/PLA blends were immiscible that caused in poor mechanical properties especially impact strength and HDT. In this study, Dibuthyltin oxide (DBTO), Poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid) (EAA), Lysine triisocyanate (LTI), and Poly(styrene-g-glycidyI methacrylate)(PS-g-GMA) were used as the added compatibilizer to improve the impact strength and heat resistance of PC/PLA blends. All components were melt-mixed in a twin screw extruder by varying the types and content of the compatibilizers. Morphology and other properties such as physical, thermal and mechanical properties of blends were investigated. PC70PS-g-GMA0.5 is the best formulas because its HDT is high closed to neat PC. PC70PS-g-GMA0.5 has relatively high mechanical properties especially impact strength. Finally, Benchmarking of PC70PS-g-GMA0.5 with previous work and commercially available PC/PLA blend exhibit that PC70PS-g-GMA0.5 provided higher HDT than the commercially available product.