Influence of DCP content on the toughness and morphology of fully biobased ternary PLA/NR-PMMA/NR TPVs with co-continuous phase structure

ABSTRACT

Herein, the poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/poly(methyl methacrylate)-grafted natural rubber (NR-PMMA)/natural rubber (NR) blends with improved compatilibility was prepared by dicumyl peroxide induced dynamic vulcanization. Both the simple blend and the PLA/NR-PMMA/NR ternary thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) exhibited co-continuous morphology. Moreover, the in situ compatibilization between PLA and rubber took place during the dynamic vulcanization. With increasing the DCP content, the toughness first increased and then decreased. With 2.5 phr DCP, the TPV displayed the highest impact strength of 760.7 J/m. Meanwhile, tensile strength of the TPVs was almost unchanged to that of the simple blend with the values of ~ 44 MPa.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Poly(lactic acid)
• biobased rubber
• dicumyl peroxide
• dynamic vulcanization
• toughness

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Opening Project of State Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Die & Mould Technology (Huazhong University of Science and Technology) [grant number P2019-023]; Guangzhou Science and Technology Project [grant number 201902010004]; the Key Projects of Basic Research and Applied Basic Research in Colleges and Universities in Guangdong Province [grant number 2018KZDXM004]; and Special project for innovation of high-end scientific research institutions in Zhongshan City [grant number 2019AG013].