Reactive plasticization of poly(lactide) with epoxy functionalized cardanol
Auteurs
I. Mihai, F. Hassouna, T. Fouquet, A. Laachachi, J.M. Raquez, H.I. El Ahrach, and P. Dubois
Référence
Polymer Engineering and Science, vol. 58, supl. 1, SI, pp. E64-E72, 2018
Description
New biobased plasticizers made of di-functional glycidyl ether epoxy cardanol (ECard) were investigated to improve the ductility of renewable poly(lactide) (PLA). Compatibility between PLA and ECard was achieved out through in situ reactive grafting strategy catalyzed with Ethyltriphenyl phosphonium bromide (ETPB) using twin-screw extruder. In absence of catalyst, ECard forms domain ill-dispersed in the PLA matrix due to the high incompatibility between both phases. When ETPB is added as catalyst domain size distribution of the plasticizer decreased, indicating an enhanced compatibility due to the reactive grafting of a fraction of ECard plasticizer onto PLA backbone. Although all plasticized PLA specimens exhibit lower glass transition temperature, lower elastic/tensile modulus, lower yield stress, and higher strain at break, the reactive blend containing the lowest amount of catalyst, that is, 0.02 phr, exhibited the highest ductility behavior.
