Crystallization, Morphology and Mechanical Properties of PLA/PBAT/CaCO<sub>3</sub> Composites

The melting, crystallization behavior, morphology and mechanical properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT)/calcium carbonate (CaCO3) composites were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), and mechanical test. It is shown that PBAT decreases the crystallinity, while CaCO3 increases the crystallinity of the composites. A synergistic toughening effect is obtained by the combination of CaCO3 and PBAT. The optimum mechanical properties can be achieved in case of the composite (PLA: PBAT: CaCO3=60: 20: 20).