Poly(Lactic Acid)-Polybutylene Succinate-Activated Carbon Composite Foams

Abstract

Polymer blends of poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and polybutylene succinate (PBS) containing activated carbon (AC) were foamed by using Azodicarbonamide (ADC) through an extrusion process. The composite foams containing 5 phr of AC had lower density than those without AC loading for PLA:PBS ratios of 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, and 60:40. The incident of higher void fraction was the consequences of more foaming nucleation centers which were induced by adding AC in the composite foam. Maximum reduction of density by 50% with the void fraction of 50% was achieved when both ADC and AC were applied at 5 phr with the PLA:PBS ratio of 80:20. The addition of AC in composite foams enhanced the crystallization in PBS phase but had no effects on PLA crystallinity. The thermal stability of composite foams with and without AC dosages for each PLA:PBS proportion was slightly changed. For PLA-PBS blend foams, the more PLA loading there was the more tensile strength and modulus there would be. For PLA-PBS-AC composite foams, AC could improve the modulus and tensile strength of composite foams in PBS-rich samples whereas no effect on PLA-rich samples.