Biocomposites From Cassava Pulp/Polylactic acid/Poly (butylene succinate)

In this study, effect of PBS content on physical properties of polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene succinate (PBS) blends was studied. The content of PBS was varied from 0 - 30 %wt. The blends were mixed using an internal mixer. The samples were prepared using a compression molding. It was shown that tensile strength and Young's modulus of PLA/PBS blends were decreased with increasing PBS content from to 0 - 30 %wt. Nevertheless, elongation at break and impact strength of the blend were increased with increasing the amount of PBS up to 20 %wt. Polylactic acid grafted glycidyl methacrylate (PLA-g-GMA) was used as the compatibilizer in PLA/PBS/PLA-g-GMA blends. PLA-g-GMA was shown to improve interfacial adhesion between PLA and PBS. With the addition of PLA-g-GMA, mechanical properties of PLA/PBS blend were improved. The preparation of cassava pulp (CP) to be used as filler in PLA/PBS blends and PLA/PBS/PLA-g-GMA blends was studied. Effect of CP content on mechanical properties CP/PLA/PBS composites was studied. PLA-g-GMA was also used as compatibilizer in CP/PLA/PBS composites. The mechanical properties of CP/PLA/PBS composites were improved with the addition of PLA-g-GMA as well.