3010 Phase morphology and fracture properties of PLA/PCL/LTI polymer blend
Details
LTI was added to blend of PLA and PCL to improve the immiscibility between the two biodegradable polymers. Fracture properties of PLA/PCL and PLA/PCL/LTI were evaluated and compared to assess the effect of LTI on the fracture behavior. The critical energy release rate at crack initiation, J_<in>, was improved effectively due to LTI addition. Fracture surfaces were also examined using SEM to characterize the fracture mechanism. It was confirmed that the size of PCL spherulites became smaller by adding LTI, and hence void formation was inhibited, resulting in the improvement of the fracture property.
