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Effect of thermal annealing on crystal evolution and multiple melting behaviors of molded poly(L-lactic acid) and poly(butylene succinate) blends upon heating investigated by TMDSC

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Abstract

The influence of post-process annealing treatment on the structural and thermal behaviors of poly(L-lactic acid)/poly(butylene succinate) (PLLA/PBS) blend was investigated by temperature modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC) and wide-angle X-ray diffractometry. It is shown that the low-order α′-structure of PLLA was formed in the as-molded samples and the molded products annealed at the temperatures below the melting of PBS, whereas the high-order α-crystal was developed when the high temperature of annealing (152 °C) was applied. With the addition of poly(ethylene glycol) plasticizer to the blends, the formation of high-order α-structure was prohibited. During the DSC heating scan, the α′- to α-crystalline phase transformation did not occur. The evidence of multiple melting behaviors observed by TMDSC was ascribed to the simultaneous melting, recrystallization, and remelting of the PLLA and PBS crystals in the blends.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) under the Research University Network Initiative. The authors would like to express gratitude to the Central Instrument Facility (CIF) and the Rubber Technology Research Center (RTEC) at Faculty of Science, Mahidol University for providing the supports in terms of research facilities.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama 6 Road, Bangkok, Thailand

    Todsapol Kajornprai & Kalyanee Sirisinha

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  1. Todsapol Kajornprai
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Correspondence to Kalyanee Sirisinha.

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Kajornprai, T., Sirisinha, K. Effect of thermal annealing on crystal evolution and multiple melting behaviors of molded poly(L-lactic acid) and poly(butylene succinate) blends upon heating investigated by TMDSC. J Therm Anal Calorim 146, 2471–2480 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-021-10629-1

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