Polylactide-Based Wood Plastic Composites Modified with Linear Low Density Polyethylene

Abstract

Polylactide (PLA)-based wood plastic composites (WPCs) were manufactured to investigate the effects of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) on the resulting composites, which were fabricated through extrusion blending followed by injection molding. The static and dynamic mechanical, and thermal properties of the PLA-based WPCs were tested and the morphologies of the cryofractured surface were observed. The impact toughness and interface adhesion of the PLA-based WPCs toughened with LLDPE were significantly improved, compared with their unmodified counterparts. LLDPE had no significant effect on the thermal stability of the PLA-based WPCs and could be an advisable toughening agent for the PLA-based WPCs.

Keywords:

• Fracture morphology
• Impact behavior
• Mechanical properties
• Polylactide
• Polymeric matrix composites

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work was supported by the grants from Education Department of Shaanxi Province of China, No. 09JK493 and Foundation of Xi'an Technological University, No. XAGDXJJ0809. The authors gracefully appreciate Mrs. Junping Zhang for her generous help to manufacture the test bars, Dr. Yunchuan Xie for their technical assistance, and PhD candidate Aijie Ma for her help with DMA.