This research work was to study the toughening modification of polylactic acid by the mixing with epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) and the increase of effectiveness of mechanical properties with a compatibilizer. Enhancement of properties in polylactic acid was evaluated by tensile and impact testings Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) technique Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) technique and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). For the addition of ENR it was revealed that the increase of ENR contents improved elongation at break and impact strength but decreased tensile modulus and ultimate tensile strength. Glass transition temperature (Tg) percentage crystallinity and the melting point of polylactic acid tended to decrease with the addition of ENR. Chemical change was found that position of C=O peak in polymer blend was slightly shifted as compared to the spectrum of neat polylactic acid. The optimum formulation for toughening modification was ENR content of 30 wt%. Its impact strength was 1982.55 % of neat polylactic acid. For increasing effectiveness of mechanical properties with a compatibilizer it revealed that the addition of Joncryl ® ADR-4300 as compatibilizer improved both tensile and impact properties. The optimum loading of a compatibilizer for improving mechanical properties was 0.5 wt% of polylactic acid. The decreases of crystallinity and melting point of polylactic acid with adding Joncryl ® ADR-4300 might be because Joncryl ® ADR-4300 was also chain extender of polylactic acid and it might be obstructing crystallization. The presence of Joncryl ® ADR-4300 unaffected on Tg value and chemical change.

This research work was to study the improvement of toughness of polylactic acid (PLA) and the cost reduction of raw material with addition of untreated and treated oil palm fiber (OPF). The detail of this work was divided into two parts. The first was to find the suitable condition for surface treatment of OPF with sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The second part was to study the effect of untreated and treated OPF contents on the mechanical properties of PLA. For surface treatment of OPF NaOH concentrations and immersion times were varied from 0 to 15 wt% and 0 to 30 min respectively. Aspect ratio (L/D) and surface of untreated and treated OPF were investigated by using optical microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) respectively. The result suggested that the most suitable condition for surface treatment of OPF was NaOH concentration of 10 wt% at immersion time of 20 min. Treated OPF was occurred microporous and had more rough as compare to untreated fiber. For the effect of untreated and treated OPF contents on the mechanical properties of PLA it was evaluated by tensile and impact testing. SEM was used for investigation of interfacial adhesion and fiber dispersion. The results showed that tensile modulus and impact strength tend to increase with adding 2.5 wt% OPF content and slightly changed at higher OPF content whereas ultimate tensile strength and elongation at break decreased with increasing fiber content. Surface treatment with NaOH led to enhancement of mechanical properties of composite due to improve interfacial adhesion and fiber dispersion.

This research work was to study the improvement of toughness and impact resistance of polylactic acid (PLA) with modified soybean oil (MSBO) and palm fiber (PF). The detail of this work was divided into three parts. The first was to find the suitable condition for modification of soybean oil with ozonolysis. The second and last parts were to study the effects of MSBO and PF contents on the properties of PLA respectively. For oil modification the reaction times were varied from 0 to 3 hours and the chemical changes in molecules of soybean oil were investigated by Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies. The result suggested that the most suitable condition for ozonolysis reaction was 2 hours considering the decrease in double bond between carbon atoms and the increase in hydroxyl group into molecular structure of MSBO. For the effect of MSBO content on mechanical properties it was evaluated by tensile and impact testing. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used for thermal and morphology analyses. The result showed that elongation at break and impact strength of modified PLA by MSBO increased about 89 and 25 % compared to those of neat PLA respectively. MSBO act as the efficient plasticizer for PLA considering the conversion of fracture behavior from brittle to ductile good dispersions of MSBO droplets in PLA and the decrease of glass transition temperature (Tg) with addition of MSBO. The addition of PF improved the impact strength of modified PLA. Strong interfacial bonding between PLA and PF indicated MSBO being both coupling agent for PLA and natural fiber and plasticizer for PLA. For migration test it was found that contents of released heavy metal and migrated chemical from specimens of PLA and PLA/PF composite were under the criteria according to Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 295) B.E. 2548.

Biodegradable polymer blend fibers were prepared by melt spinning technique. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) were blended in a twin screw extruder at various contents of PBS at 0-50 wt%. PLA/PBS blends were melt spun using a single screw extruder equipped with multifilaments spinnerette. The effect of PBS contents on morphology thermal properties and mechanical performance of PLA/PBS blend fiber was investigated. SEM micrographs indicated that the addition of PBS at 10 wt% showed miscibility of PLA/PBS blends while the other contents of PBS exhibited phase separation of the blends. The incorporation of PBS affected on the declination of crystallinity in the blends. It can be noted that the addition of PBS could enhance the elasticity of PLA/PBS blend fibers.