Study Poly(lactic acid) Properties in Using of Castor oil as a Plasticizers

Abstract

The research aims to study the properties of Poly (lactic acid) in using of Castor oil as a plasticizers. Castor oil was blended with Poly(lactic acid)  in various contents (0  5  10  15 and 20 phr) by using twin screw extruder and samples were prepared by injection molding. A range of characterization techniques were used to investigate the glass transition temperature, melting temperature,  impact strength, flexural strength and morphological properties. The results of this study found that the addition of castor oil in Poly(lactic acid) slightly lowered glass transition temperature. However, this investigation has significant effect on impact strength and  flexural strength. Due to the ductile fracture and the distribution of micro voids as the energy absorber were observed by SEM micrograph. Therefore the addition of castor oil has adility to a plasticizer in Poly(lactic acid) and the optimum content should be 10 parts per hundred parts of resin.