Morphology, mechanical properties, and durability of poly(lactic acid) plasticized with Di(isononyl) cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate

Di(isononyl) cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH) was used as a new plasticizer for poly(lactic acid) (PLA), and the effects of DINCH and tributyl citrate ester (TBC) on the morphology, mechanical and thermal properties, and durability of PLA were compared. DINCH has limited compatibility with PLA, leading to PLA/DINCH blends with phase separation in which DINCH forms spherical dispersed phase. TBC is compatible with PLA and evenly distributed in PLA. Plasticized PLA with 10 and 20 phr DINCH have a constant glass transition temperature (Tg) of 50°C and are stiff materials with high elongation at break and impact strength. TBC could significantly decrease the Tg and increase the crystallinity of PLA, and PLA/TBC (100/20) blend is a soft material with a Tg of 24°C. The durability of plasticized PLA was characterized by weight loss measurement under water immersion, mechanical properties, and thermal analysis. The results reveal that PLA/DINCH blends have better water resistance and aging resistance properties than PLA/TBC blends, which is attributed to the relatively high hydrophobicity of DINCH and high Tg of PLA/DINCH blends.