Abstract:

Poly(propylene carbonate)(PPC) is a new thermoplastic biodegradable material. However, its poor thermal and mechanical properties prevent its application in many fields. In corporation the straw flour, a by-product of agricultural products, into PPC is expected to enhance the mechanical properties of PPC and at the same time to find a way to make comprehensive use of straw resources. Chlorided poly(propylene carbonate)(CPPC), which was prepared by chlorination of PPC, possesses good wetting and adhering abilities on the surface of nature fibers. In this study, the PPC/straw flour composites compatibilized with CPPC were prepared by melt blending. The composites are characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM), tensile test, dynamic mechanical analysis(DMA) and rotational rheometer, focusing on the effect of CPPC contents on the mechanical and rheological properties of the composites. The results indicate that the tensile strength is increased by 38% for the 70/30 mass ratio of PPC to straw flour composites when 1.8%(mass fraction) CPPC is added. Moreover, the viscosity of the composite decreases with the introduction of CPPC and the processing property is improved accordingly. As a consequence, CPPC as compatibilizer provides a new way to prepare high performance PPC/natural fiber composites.

Key words: poly(propylene carbonate), straw, chlorided poly(propylene carbonate), composites, mechanical properties