MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND MORPHOLOGY OF POLY (LACTIC ACID) (PLA) WITH DIFFERENT FLEXIBLE COPOLYMERS

Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) blended with acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene (ABS) and natural biodegradable tapioca cassava starch powder (NBTCSP) the weight ratios on the properties of blends, the blends films were prepared by using a twin-screw extruder and semi-automatic compression molding machine. The mechanical and morphological properties of samples were investigated by tensile test, flexural, compressive , impact test and scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively.it was found that the tensile strength of PLA/ABS (45/45/ wt %) blend composite was about 31.50 MPa the in the absence of natural biodegradable tapioca cassava starch (NBTCSP), and it increased to 28.66 –32.90 MPa in presence of natural biodegradable tapioca cassava starch powder (NBTCSP) at 10 wt% .The flexural value of PLA/ABS (45/45/ wt %) blend composite was about 31.50 MPa the in the absence of natural biodegradable tapioca cassava starch Powder (NBTCSP), and it increased to 28.66 –32.90 MPa in presence of natural biodegradable tapioca cassava starch powder (NBTCSP) at 10 wt% . The SEM images showed good interface and distribution for PLA containing 47.5 wt% ABS, 5 wt% (NBTCSP) and 45 wt% ABS 10 wt% (NBTCSP)