Improved Toughness of PLA/PBAT/Modified Bamboo Powder Composites Through Interfacial Regulation

TL;DR

Researchers improved the toughness of biodegradable composites by modifying bamboo fibers with a special coating and a compatibilizer.

Contribution

A novel method using polydopamine and a compatibilizer to enhance the performance of bamboo–plastic composites is introduced.

Findings

Modified bamboo fibers increased the composite's notch impact strength from 3.2 to 9.7 kJ/m².

The use of AX8900 compatibilizer improved interfacial compatibility and physical properties.

The approach offers a sustainable way to produce tough biodegradable composites.

Abstract

The incorporation of abundant natural bamboo fiber (BF) into biodegradable polymers has emerged as a promising strategy to develop environmentally friendly materials. However, the poor interfacial compatibility between BF and biodegradable polymers has led to reduced performance, especially deteriorated toughness, and has limited the practical applications of bamboo–plastic composites. In this study, a compatible modifier, polydopamine (PDA), was employed to modify the surface of natural BF, and poly(lactic acid)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PLA/PBAT) bamboo–plastic composites were fabricated via melt blending. And then, a commercial multifunctional compatibilizer (AX8900) was introduced to further enhance the interfacial compatibility and physical properties of the composite. After adding 20 wt% modified BF and 2 wt% compatibilizer, the composite exhibited a better notch impact strength (9.7 kJ/m2) than that filled with unmodified BF (3.2 kJ/m2), indicating a substantial enhancement. This work provides a novel approach to produce friendly biodegradable composites utilizing natural cellulose resources.

Figures