Strong synergistic effects in PLA/PCL blends: impact of PLA matrix viscosity
Abstract
Blends of two biodegradable polymers, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL), with strong synergistic improvement in mechanical performance were prepared by melt-mixing using the optimized composition (80/20) and the optimized preparation procedure (a melt-mixing followed by a compression molding) according to our previous study. Three different PLA polymers were employed, whose viscosity decreased in the following order: PLC ≈ PLA1 > PLA2 > PLA3. The blends with the highest viscosity matrix (PLA1/PCL) exhibited the smallest PCL particles (d∼0.6μm), an elastic-plastic stable fracture (as determined from instrumented impact testing) and the strongest synergistic improvement in toughness (>16× with respect to pure PLA, exceeding even the toughness of pure PCL). According to the available literature, this was the highest toughness improvement in non-compatiblized PLA/PCL blends ever achieved. The decrease in the matrix viscosity resulted in an increase in the average PCL particle size and a dramatic decrease in the overall toughness: the completely stable fracture (for PLA1/PCL) changed to the stable fracture followed by unstable crack propagation (for PLA2/PCL) and finally to the completely brittle fracture (for PLA3/PCL). The stiffness of all blends remained at well acceptable level, slightly above the theoretical predictions based on the equivalent box model. Despite several previous studies, the results confirmed that PLA and PCL could behave as compatible polymers, but the final PLA/PCL toughness is extremely sensitive to the PCL particle size distribution, which is influenced by both processing conditions and PLA viscosity. PLA/PCL blends with high stiffness (due to PLA) and toughness (due to PCL) are very promising materials for medical applications, namely for the bone tissue engineering.
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PLA1/PCL blend showed super-tough behavior (blend toughness higher than the toughness of either component), but PLA3/PCL blend showed toughness only slightly enhanced compared with neat PLA3.
“PLA1/PCL blend showed super-tough behavior (i.e., the blend toughness was higher than the toughness of either of its two components) but PLA3/PCL blend showed toughness only slightly enhanced in comparison with neat PLA3.”
From Phase Structure, Compatibility, and Toughness of PLA/PCL Blends: A Review (2019) · cites this paper as Ostafinska et al., 2017
An increase of number average diameter from 0.6 to 0.9 μm and of volume average diameter from 2.2 to 3.6 μm for PLA/PCL (80/20) blends led to a decrease in Charpy notch impact strength from 38 to 6 kJ/m2 and to a change in the character of the blend fracture from ductile to brittle.
“This was confirmed by the fact that an increase of number average diameter, d n , from 0.6 to 0.9 µm and of volume average diameter, d V , from 2.2 to 3.6 µm for PLA/PCL (80/20) blends led to the decrease in the Charpy notch impact strength from 38 to 6 kJ/m 2 and to the change in the character of the blend fracture from ductile to brittle (Ostafinska et al., 2017).”
From Phase Structure, Compatibility, and Toughness of PLA/PCL Blends: A Review (2019) · cites this paper as Ostafinska et al., 2017
The impact strength of PLA/PCL blends with a certain composition is extremely sensitive to the size of PCL particles.
“The impact strength of the PLA/PCL blends with a certain composition is extremely sensitive to the size of PCL particles (Ostafinska et al., 2017).”
From Phase Structure, Compatibility, and Toughness of PLA/PCL Blends: A Review (2019) · cites this paper as Ostafinska et al., 2017
Both Charpy notched impact strength and total fracture energy decreased with increasing size of PCL particles.
“Both Charpy notched impact strength (determined from non-instrumented impact testing) and total fracture energy (determined from instrumented impact testing) decreased with the increasing size of PCL particles (Figure 5).”
From Phase Structure, Compatibility, and Toughness of PLA/PCL Blends: A Review (2019) · cites this paper as Ostafinska et al., 2017
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- Authors
- Ostafinska, A., Fortelný, I., Hodan, J., Krejčíková, S., Nevoralová, M., Kredatusová, J., Kruliš, Z., Kotek, J., & Šlouf, M.
- Affiliations
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry (CZ)
- Czech Academy of Sciences (CZ)
- Corresponding author
- Šlouf, Miroslav
- Venue
- Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2017-05
- Volume
- 69
- Pages
- 229-241
- ISSN
- 1751-6161 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2569817872
- Cited by
- 118
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 3
- FWCI
- 3.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials/Journal of mechanical behavior of biomedical materials (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ASEP (submittedVersion, public-domain)
- Funders
- Ministerstvo Školství, Mládeže a Tělovýchovy (POLYMAT LO1507)
- Grantová Agentura České Republiky (GA14-17921S)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Biomaterials › biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Polymers and Plastics › Polymer crystallization and properties
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Polymers and Plastics › Natural Fiber Reinforced Composites
- Keywords
- PLA/PCL blends, polylactic acid, polycaprolactone, biodegradable polymer blends, matrix viscosity, impact toughness, fracture behavior, melt blending, compression molding, stiffness, bone tissue engineering
- MeSH terms
- Polyesters, Polymers, Viscosity
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