SUMMARY
Maleic-anhydride-grafted poly(lactic acid) (PLA-g-MAH) was prepared and blended with rice husk (RH). Methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) was used as the coupling agent for combining RH with PLA-g-MAH, which improved the poor interfacial adhesion between PLA and RH. Various PLA-g-MAH/RH blends, with and without MDI, were prepared by melt processing using a brabender. The effects that inclusion and distribution of MDI had on the mechanical properties and thermal behaviors of the composites were examined. The results showed that the PLAXRHYMDI specimens had the optimum tensile properties compared with the PLAXRHY, PLA-g-MAHXRHY, and PLA-g-MAHXRHYMDI specimens. The new method of combining MDI and MAH through grafting was expected to be an excellent strategy for mitigating the low functionality of commercial PLA. Possible reasons accounting for the interesting results on tensile strength and thermal properties of the specimens are proposed. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.20.4.6034