Abstract:The poly (lactic acid) / hollow glass beads (PLA/ HGB) composites toughened by maleic anhydride
grafted ethylene鄄1鄄octene copolymer (EOC鄄g鄄MAH) were fabricated via molten and compression molding. The effects
of mass fraction of EOC鄄g鄄MAH on the microstructures, mechanical properties and thermal stabilities of the composites
were investigated. The results indicate that the superficial wettabilities of PLA to HGB are facilitated with the presence
of EOC鄄g鄄MAH and the interfacial adhesion between the matrix and HGB is enhanced remarkably. The tensile
strength of PLA/ HGB composites is increased firstly and then decreased. With 3% EOC鄄g鄄MAH, the peak value of
tensile strength is obtained which is 14. 23% higher than the controlled sample, whereas the elastic modulus is de鄄
clined continuously. In this investigative range, the impact toughness exhibits the trend of rapid increasing and then
moderating with the increase of PP鄄g鄄MAH. However, only 7% mass fraction of EOC鄄g鄄MAH could lead to a nearly
40% improvement in impact toughness which indicates that the EOC鄄g鄄MAH is preferred to improve the impact resist鄄
ance of PLA/ HGB composites. The existence of EOC鄄g鄄MAH varies the procedures of thermal decomposition of PLA/
HGB composites from one step weight鄄loss to two step weight鄄loss, whereas hardly influence is shown on the thermal
decomposition temperature.
