Abstract
Polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the most widely used, environmentally friendly, and non-toxic materials. However, PLA presents some drawbacks compared to petroleum-based polymers that restrict its usage, such as its low thermal stability, brittleness, poor barrier properties, and low crystallization rate. The incorporation of natural rubber (NR) in PLA can increase its toughness. In this work, PLA/NR/bagasse fiber composite foams with balanced stiffness and toughness were designed. The biodegradable foams were prepared by blending polylactic acid, natural rubber, and bagasse fiber in various proportions. The lightweight biodegradable polylactic acid/natural rubber/bagasse fiber composite foams can be formed by using compression molding. The thermal and mechanical properties and the morphologies of the composite foams were investigated through differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, universal testing machine, and scanning electron microscopy. The structure of untreated and treated bagasse fibers was evaluated by using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).
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