Effect of the Chemical Structure of Compatibilizers on the Thermal, Mechanical and Morphological Properties of Immiscible PLA/PCL Blends
Abstract
Summary: This manuscript addresses the effect of the chemical structure of two block copolymers of low molecular weight employed as compatibilizers on the immiscible blends of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) (PCL). Binary and ternary blends were prepared by melt mixing in a twin screw extruder and the effect of the block copolymers on the morphological, mechanical and thermal behavior was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), tensile testing and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The addition of 5 wt% of block copolymers derived from ϵ‐caprolactone and 1,4 butanediol (C1) or ϵ‐caprolactone and an aliphatic polycarbonate (C2) maintained the size of the dispersed PCL domains practically constant, regardless of the PCL concentration. The compatibilized PLA/PCL blends containing 5 wt% of PCL exhibited a significant enhancement in elongation at break, in comparison to those of the neat PLA or uncompatibilized PLA/PCL blends. The DSC results show the melting temperatures of the PLA were not influenced by the chemical structure of the compatibilizers or PCL concentration. However, such variables changed the melting enthalpy of the PLA and PCL and melting temperature of the PCL.
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Compatibilized PLA/PCL (95/5) blends showed a high elongation at break, much larger than that for compatibilized PLA/PCL (80/20) blends.
“Surprisingly, the compatibilized PLA/PCL (95/5) blends showed a high elongation at break, which was much larger than that for the compatibilized PLA/PCL (80/20) blends.”
From Phase Structure, Compatibility, and Toughness of PLA/PCL Blends: A Review (2019) · cites this paper as Finotti et al., 2016
Addition of 5% of low-molecular-weight block copolymers of ε-caprolactone with tetra-methylene ether glycol or aliphatic polycarbonate substantially reduced the size of PCL droplets in PLA/PCL (80/20) blends.
“The addition of 5% of the copolymers substantially reduced the size of PCL droplets in the PLA/PCL (80/20) blends.”
From Phase Structure, Compatibility, and Toughness of PLA/PCL Blends: A Review (2019) · cites this paper as Finotti et al., 2016
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- Authors
- Finotti, P. F. M., Costa, L. C., & Chinelatto, M. A.
- Affiliations
- Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
- Universidade Federal de São Carlos (BR)
- Corresponding author
- Chinelatto, Marcelo A.
- Venue
- Macromolecular Symposia
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2016-10
- Volume
- 368
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 24-29
- ISSN
- 1022-1360 (ISSN-L)
- 1521-3900
- OpenAlex
- W2533811252
- Cited by
- 32
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 2.74
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Macromolecular Symposia (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Brazilian Federal Agency for the Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Polymers and Plastics › Polymer crystallization and properties
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Biomaterials › biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Block Copolymer Self-Assembly
- Keywords
- polylactic acid, polycaprolactone, PLA/PCL blends, immiscible polymer blends, compatibilizer, block copolymers, chemical structure effects, blend morphology, dispersed phase size, mechanical properties, tensile properties, thermal properties, heat of fusion, 1,4-butanediol, aliphatic polycarbonates, ternary mixtures
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