Compatibility of liquid deproteinized natural rubber having epoxy group (LEDPNR)/poly (L-lactide) blend

Reaction after mixing of liquid epoxidized natural rubber/poly(L-lactide) blend was performed to enhance the compatibility of the blend. The liquid epoxidized natural rubber was prepared by epoxidation of deproteinized natural rubber with peracetic acid in latex stage followed by depolymerization with peroxide and propanal. The resulting liquid deproteinized natural rubber having epoxy group (LEDPNR) was mixed with poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) to investigate the compatibility of the blend through differential scanning calorimetry, optical light microscopy, and NMR spectroscopy. After heating the blend at 473 K for 20 min, glass transition temperature (T-g) of LEDPNR in LEDPNR/PLLA blend increased from 251 to 259 K, while T-g and melting temperature (T-m) of PLLA decreased from 337 to 332 K and 450 to 445 K, respectively, suggesting that the compatibility of LEDPNR/PLLA blend was enhanced by a reaction between the epoxy group of LEDPNR and the ester group of PLLA. The reaction was proved by high-resolution solid-state C-13 NMR spectroscopy. (C) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.