Preparation and Properties of Corn Gluten Meal/Poly (Lactic Acid) Composite

Abstract

Blends of Corn gluten meal (CGM) and poly (lactic acid) (PLA) plasticized with glycerol, water and ethanol, were extruded into pellets using single-screw extruder, and the pellets were compression-molded into composites, and the tensile strength, water resistance, thermal stability and morphology of the composite were evaluated. The results showed that PLA reinforced the composite, improved the water resistance. The structure of composite was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), it was showed that PLA formed a network structure, and the modified CGM inlay in network. The result of thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) considered that the composite could keep thermal stability below 180 °C.