Study on tough blends of polylactide and acrylic impact modifier

Abstract

Acrylic impact modifiers (ACRs) with different soft/hard monomer ratios (mass ratios) were prepared by semi-continuous seed emulsion copolymerization using the soft monomer butyl acrylate and the hard monomer methyl methacrylate, which were used to toughen polylactide (PLA). The effect of soft/hard ACR monomer ratio on the mechanical properties of PLA/ACR blends was investigated. The results showed that the impact strength and the elongation at break of PLA/ACR blends increased with increasing soft/hard ACR monomer ratio, while the tensile and flexural strengths of PLA had little change. The impact strength of PLA/ACR blends could be increased about 4 times more than that of pure PLA when the soft/hard monomer ratio of ACR was 90/10, which was the optimal ratio for good mechanical properties of PLA. Additionally, the possible mechanism of ACR toughening in PLA was discussed through impact fracture phase morphology analysis.