Compounding and processing of biodegradable materials based on PLA for packaging applications: In greening the 21st century materials world.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34874/IMIST.PRSM/fsejournal-v1i1.26935Keywords:
biopolymers, biodegradable, compounding, rheology, PLA, crystallizationAbstract
Poly(lactic acid) is a well known polymer for more than 20 years in the biomedical fields
applications. Today, according to rising prices of oil and massive consumption of fossil resource,
this biodegradable aliphatic polyester is on the way to be a wide used commodity polymer.
Moreover PLA is as a “green plastic” because it is synthesized from annually renewable resources.
In many ways similar to poly(ethylene terephtalate) such as rigidity, transparency, crystallization
kinetics and food contact ability, it fulfills the packaging industry requirements for most of the rigid
objects. But for applications like hot food packages, soft films and stretch blow bottles for example
some properties of PLA have to be improved like heat deflection temperature (HDT), impact
stiffness and gas barrier properties. There are many ways reported in literature today to improve
these properties. In order to compare it with other well known polymers, figure 1 represents
thermal properties of PLA and these polymers. The aim of the work deals to identify actual
weaknesses of commercial grades of PLA. Secondly, to present pertinent ways to improve PLA‟s
properties have been identified according to chosen process and final properties wished. This study
is composed of three main items. In a first time, a bibliographical study is necessary to identify the
different ways to improve PLA‟s properties used by researchers and industrials in literature. The
most significant ways will be describe here. Then PLA compound (PLA with additives or PLA
copolymers for examples) will be synthesized in conditions closed to industrial conditions studying
crystallisation kinetic and rheological properties. In this step thermal, physico-chemical and
mechanical properties of products synthesized will be characterized. At the end of this study the
best ways of improving PLA‟s behavior will be presented and described
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