TY  - EJOU
AU  - Zhang, Xiaoqing 
AU  - Schmidt, Simon 
AU  - Rigopoulos, Nick 
AU  - Gotama, Januar 
AU  - Petinakis, Eustathios 

TI  - Using CO<sub>2</sub> -Based Polymer Polypropylene Carbonate to  Enhance the Interactions in Poly(lactic acid)/Wood Fiber  Biocomposites
T2  - Journal of Renewable Materials

PY  - 2015
VL  - 3
IS  - 2
SN  - 2164-6341

AB  - The behavior of a biodegradable CO<sub>2</sub>
-based polymer polypropylene carbonate (PPC) as polymer matrix of 
wood fi ber (WF) composites was examined and compared with that of using poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as the 
matrix. The PPC/WF composites displayed poor mechanical properties as compared to PLA/WF composites 
because PPC is an amorphous polymer with low T<sub>g</sub>
 and poor thermal stability. However, when PPC was 
used in conjunction with PLA in WF composites, the mechanical strength and modulus of the composites 
could match or even exceed the level of PLA/WF composites. The strong intermolecular interactions between 
PPC and WF and those between PPC and PLA enhanced the bonding between compatible PPC/PLA matrix 
and WF fi llers, resulting in improved fl exural strength and modulus over a broader temperature range that 
reduced the impact of the low T<sub>g</sub>
 effect of PPC. The crystalline structures of PLA were also modifi ed in the 
PPC-PLA/WF composites, while the thermal stability of the composites was improved.
KW  - Polypropylene carbonate
KW  -  poly(lactic acid)
KW  -  wood fi ber
KW  -  biocomposites

DO  - 10.7569/JRM.2014.634135