Effects of glass fiber reinforcement and thermoplastic elastomer blending on the mechanical performance of polylactide

2018-06-01
Varsavas, S. Deniz
Kaynak, Cevdet
The purpose of this study was to investigate how optimum mechanical properties (strength-modulus-toughness) of inherently very brittle polylactide (PLA) could be obtained by reinforcing with E-glass fibers (GF) and blending with thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU). Composites and blends were compounded by twin-screw extruder melt mixing, while specimens were shaped by injection molding. SEM analyses revealed that 15 wt% GF and 10 wt% TPU domains, alone and together, could be uniformly distributed in the PLA matrix leading to significant improvements in properties. Mechanical tests indicated that use of TPU blending alone resulted in enormous increases in the ductility and fracture toughness values, while GF reinforcements led to significant increases in strength and elastic modulus values. When GF and TPU were added together, it was observed that crack deflection, debonding and fiber pull-out toughening mechanisms of GF reinforcements were as effective as the rubber toughening mechanism of TPU blending.
COMPOSITES COMMUNICATIONS

Suggestions

Effects of glass fiber content, 3D-printing and weathering on the performance of polylactide
Varsavaş, Sakine Deniz; Kaynak, Cevdet; Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (2017)
The purpose of the first part of this thesis was to investigate how optimum mechanical properties (strength-modulus-toughness) of inherently very brittle polylactide (PLA) could be obtained by reinforcing with E-glass fibers (GF) and blending with thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU). Composites and blends were compounded by twin-screw extruder melt mixing, while specimens were shaped by injection molding. SEM analyses revealed that 15 wt% GF reinforcements and 10 wt% TPU domains, alone or together, c...
Effect of expandable graphite on flame retardant, thermal and mechanical properties of thermoplastic polyurethane composites filled with huntite&hydromagnesite mineral
Guler, Turkan; Tayfun, Umit; Bayramlı, Erdal; DOĞAN, Mehmet (2017-01-10)
The effect of expandable graphite (EG) was studied on the flame retardant, thermal and mechanical properties of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) containing huntite&hydromagnesite (HH). According to the flammability tests results, the synergistic interaction was observed between HH and EG. The maximum limiting oxygen index (LOI value was observed at a ratio of 1:1 (HH:EG) and the highest vertical burning test (UL-94) rating of V0 was observed at a ratios of 4:1, 3:2 and 1:1. The synergistic interaction betwe...
Use of maleic anhydride compatibilization to improve toughness and other properties of polylactide blended with thermoplastic elastomers
Kaynak, Cevdet (2014-12-01)
Polylactide (PLA) being a very brittle biopolymer could be toughened by blending with thermoplastic elastomers such as thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU) and thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPE); unfortunately, these blends are immiscible forming round domains in the PLA matrix. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of using maleic anhydride (MA) compatibilization on the toughness and other properties of PLA blended with TPU and TPE. MA grafting on the PLA backbone (...
Effect of Carbon Black and/or Elastomer on Thermoplastic Elastomer-based Blends and Composites
Yaşar, Mehmet Soner; Bayram, Göknur (2014-06-12)
It was aimed to investigate the effect of carbon black and/or elastomer on the electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). Carbon black (CB) and ethylene-glycidyl methacrylate (E-GMA) were used as additives in the main matrix. The blends and composites were characterized in terms of their electrical conductivity and mechanical properties. CB concentration was varied as 0.5, 1, 3 and 5 wt.%. In order to modify the surface of CB, paraffinic oil and silane coupling agent...
Effect of microcapsulated red phosphorus on flame retardant, thermal and mechanical properties of thermoplastic polyurethane composites filled with huntite&hydromagnesite mineral
ATABEK SAVAŞ, Lemiye; Deniz, Tugba Kaya; Tayfun, Umit; DOĞAN, Mehmet (2017-01-01)
The effect of microcapsulated red phosphorus (mRP) was studied on the flame retardant, thermal and mechanical properties of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites containing Huntite&hydromagnesite (HH). The flame retardant properties of TPU based composites were investigated using limiting oxygen index (LOI), vertical burning test (UL 94), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and mass loss calorimeter. The mechanical properties of composites were studied using tensile test and dynamic mechanical analysis (...
Citation Formats
S. D. Varsavas and C. Kaynak, “Effects of glass fiber reinforcement and thermoplastic elastomer blending on the mechanical performance of polylactide,” COMPOSITES COMMUNICATIONS, pp. 24–30, 2018, Accessed: 00, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://hdl.handle.net/11511/41508.