Mechanical Properties of Poly (L-lactic acid)/Biodegradable Polyester Blend Films

Abstract

Biodegradable Poly (L-lactic acid) [PLLA]/Poly (bu-tylenes succinate) [PBS] or PLLA/Poly (butylenes succinate adipate) [PBSA] blend films were prepared. We have investigated the thermal and mechanical properties of the resulting films by using dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), tensile properties and morphological analysis. The experimental dynamic mechanical results suggested that blending of PBS or PBSA into PLLA caused an increase of the storage modulus (E') as a result of the crystallization of PLLA. From the DSC results, it was also demonstrated that the crystallization of PLLA was accelerated by blending it with PBS or PBSA. An improvement in the mechanical properties was observed by blending PLLA with PBS or PBSA. This improvement was believed to be due to the PBS or PBSA becoming the matrix in the blended films.