Study on mechanical, morphological and thermal properties of poly(lactic acid) based biocomposite reinforced with lotus fiber

Abstract

In this study, biocomposite based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and lotus fiber (LF) was prepared. PLA was plasticized with 4 wt% of polyethylene glycol (PEG). The contents of LFs in the composites were 10, 15 and 20 %. Mechanical and thermal properties and morphology of the PLA/LF composites were investigated. The results showed that LFs significantly improved both tensile strength and elongation at break of the cornposites, but slightly decreased the thermal stability as compare to neat PLA. SEM analysis results showed that the LF has a rough suiface and were well-dispersed in the PLA matrix at the content of 10 and 15 wt%.