Influence of phthalic anhydride and bioxazoline on the mechanical and morphological properties of biodegradable poly(lactic acid)/poly[(butylene adipate)-co-terephthalate] blends

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/poly[(butylene adipate)-co-terephthalate] (PBAT) blends were fabricated by melt blending, with 2,2′-(1,3-phenylene)bis(2-oxazoline) (BOZ) and phthalic anhydride (PA) used as compatibilizers. It was found that a small amount of BOZ or PA greatly increased the elongation at break of the PLA/PBAT blends without sacrificing their high tensile strength. Scanning electron microscopy results revealed that the PBAT particles became finer and were uniformly dispersed in the matrix when the compatibilizers were incorporated, which indicated that the interfacial bonding and compatibilization between PLA and PBAT were improved in the presence of the compatibilizers. Compared with PLA/PBAT blends, the molecular weight of PLA/PBAT/PA/BOZ blends was increased due to chain-extending reactions. Differential scanning calorimetry results suggested PBAT decreased the crystallization rate and crystallinity of PLA in the blends. Moreover, the glass transition temperature of PBAT was further decreased when the compatibilizers were used. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry