Physical blends of PLA with high vinyl acetate containing EVA and their rheological, thermo-mechanical and morphological responses

Rheological, morphological and thermo-mechanical responses of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/ethylene-co-vinyl-acetate copolymer (EVA) blends at EVA volume fractions varying in the range of 0-035 were evaluated. The micro-structural analysis demonstrated dispersive mixing at low content and co-continuous morphology at 30 wt % of EVA in PLA. Dynamic rheology demonstrated enhanced storage modulus and complex viscosity (eta*) with increase in frequency of the blends indicated strong phase interaction. Cole-Cole and Han plots indicated partial miscibility and incompatibility between the polymer matrix and the dispersed phase. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) revealed slight increase in damping parameters which indicated interaction or reinforcement in the blends. Additionally, the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the blends showed two step degradation and enhanced thermal stability. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.