Miscible blends of biobased poly(lactide) with poly(methyl methacrylate): Effects of chopped glass fiber incorporation
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Colorado School of Mines, Golden Colorado 80401
- Arkema, King of Prussia Pennsylvania
- Johns Manville, Littleton Colorado
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden Colorado
Poly(lactide) (PLA) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) are melt compounded with chopped glass fiber using laboratory scale twin-screw extrusion. Physical properties are examined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), tensile testing, impact testing, X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Molecular weight is determined using gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Miscibility of the blends is implied by the presence of a single glass transition temperature and homogeneous morphology. PLA/PMMA blends tend to show positive deviations from a simple linear mixing rule in their mechanical properties (e.g., tensile toughness, modulus, and stress at break). The addition of 40 wt % glass fiber to the system dramatically increases physical properties. Across all blend compositions, the tensile modulus increases from roughly 3 GPa to roughly 10 GPa. Estimated heat distortion temperatures (HDTs) are also greatly enhanced; the pure PLA sample HDT increases from 75 degrees C to 135 degrees C. Fiber filled polymer blends represent a sustainable class of earth abundant materials which should prove useful across a range of applications.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- OSTI ID:
- 1358344
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/JA-5000-68547
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol. 134, Issue 22; ISSN 0021-8995
- Publisher:
- Wiley
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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