The aim of this research work was to improve the compatibility of polymer blends made from poly(lactic acid) and natural rubber (PLA/NR blends) by using modified natural rubber as a compatibilizer. Natural rubber was chemically modified into two categories: natural rubber grafted poly(vinyl acetate) copolymer (NR-g-PVAc) and block copolymers (PLA-NR diblock copolymer and PLA-NR-PLA triblock copolymer). PLA/NR blends were prepared by melting blending in a twin screw extruder and compression molded to obtain a 2-mm thick sheet. The blends contained 10-20 wt% of NR and modified NR, and the impact strength and tensile properties were investigated. The compatibilization effect was determined by DMTA, DSC and SEM. NR-g-PVAc was synthesized by emulsion polymerization to obtain different PVAc graft contents (1%, 5% and 12%). Characterization by DMTA showed an enhancement in miscibility of the PLA/NR-g-PVAc blends. NR-g-PVAc could be used as a toughening agent of PLA and as a compatibilizer of the PLA/NR blend. The block copolymers were synthesized following two routes: (1) hydroxyl telechelic natural rubber (HTNR) and lactide and (2) HTNR and PLA prepolymer. In the former route, lactide was in situ polymerized via a ring opening polymerization to be a PLA block segment during block copolymerization. In the latter route PLA prepolymer was synthesized by a condensation polymerization of L-lactic acid prior to block copolymerization. Both block copolymers acted as good compatibilizers for the PLA/NR blend by increasing the impact strength and decreasing the NR particle size. Triblock copolymers provided higher impact strength than diblock copolymers, and they were a less effective compatibilizer than NR-g-PVAc. In contrast to NR and NR-g-PVAc, the block copolymer was not a good toughening agent for PLA.

L’objectif de ce travail de thèse était l’amélioration de la compatibilité de mélanges d’acide polylactique et de caoutchouc naturel (mélanges PLA/NR) par l’ajout de dérivés du caoutchouc naturel comme agents compatibilisants. Le caoutchouc naturel a été modifié selon deux approches : synthèse d’un copolymère greffé caoutchouc- poly(vinyl acétate) (NR-g-PVAc) et synthèse de polymères à blocks PLA-NR et PLA-NR-PLA. Les mélanges PLA/NR ont été préparés par extrusion dans une extrudeuse à double vis et moulées par compression pour obtenir des feuilles de 2 mm d’épaisseur. Les mélanges contenaient 10-20% en poids de NR et NR modifiée. La résistance au choc et les propriétés en traction ont été étudiées. L’effet de compatibilisation a été déterminé par DMTA, DSC et MEB. NR-g-PVAc a été synthétisé par polymérisation en émulsion pour obtenir de copolymères avec différents contenus en PVAc greffé (1%, 5% and 12%). La caractérisation des matériaux par DMTA a montré une augmentation de la miscibilité des mélanges PLA/NR-g-PVAc.NR-g-PVAc a résulté être un agent durcissant pour le PLA et un agent compatibilisant pour les mélanges PLA/NR. Les polymères à bloc ont été synthétisés selon deux routes : (1) NR hydroxy téléquelique (HTNR) et lactide et (2) NR hydroxy téléquelique et pré-polymère PLA. Dans la première approche, le lactide a été polymérisé in situ à travers la polymérisation par ouverture de cycle pour donner un bloc. Dans la deuxième approche, le pré-polymère PLA a été synthétisé par polymérisation directe de l’acide L-lactique avant copolymérisation à blocs. Les deux types de copolymères se sont révélés de bons agents compatibilisants pour les mélanges PLA/NR, car ils ont augmenté la résistance au choc et ils ont diminué la taille des particules de caoutchouc. / The aim of this research work was to improve the compatibility of polymer blends made from poly(lactic acid) and natural rubber (PLA/NR blends) by using modified natural rubber as a compatibilizer. Natural rubber was chemically modified into two categories: natural rubber grafted poly(vinyl acetate) copolymer (NR-g-PVAc) and block copolymers (PLA-NR diblock copolymer and PLA-NR-PLA triblock copolymer). PLA/NR blends were prepared by melting blending in a twin screw extruder and compression molded to obtain a 2-mm thick sheet. The blends contained 10-20 wt% of NR and modified NR, and the impact strength and tensile properties were investigated. The compatibilization effect was determined by DMTA, DSC and SEM. NR-g-PVAc was synthesized by emulsion polymerization to obtain different PVAc graft contents (1%, 5% and 12%). Characterization by DMTA showed an enhancement in miscibility of the PLA/NR-g-PVAc blends. NR-g-PVAc could be used as a toughening agent of PLA and as a compatibilizer of the PLA/NR blend. The block copolymers were synthesized following two routes: (1) hydroxyl telechelic natural rubber (HTNR) and lactide and (2) HTNR and PLA prepolymer. In the former route, lactide was in situ polymerized via a ring opening polymerization to be a PLA block segment during block copolymerization. In the latter route PLA prepolymer was synthesized by a condensation polymerization of L-lactic acid prior to block copolymerization. Both block copolymers acted as good compatibilizers for the PLA/NR blend by increasing the impact strength and decreasing the NR particle size. Triblock copolymers provided higher impact strength than diblock copolymers, and they were a less effective compatibilizer than NR-g-PVAc. In contrast to NR and NR-g-PVAc, the block copolymer was not a good toughening agent for PLA.