Advanced Rheological, Dynamic Mechanical and Thermal Characterization of Phase-Separation Behavior of PLA/PCL Blends
Open accessAbstract
This research presents a comprehensive investigation of PLA/PCL polymer blends using advanced rheological characterization, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and dynamic mechanical, thermal analysis (DMTA) to evaluate phase-separation behavior and functional properties. Polymer composites with various PLA/PCL ratios were fabricated via melt extrusion, a sustainable and scalable approach. The rheological studies revealed significant insights into the blends’ viscoelastic behavior, while SEM analyses provided detailed observations of microstructural phase separation. Thermal transitions and crystallization behaviors were evaluated through DSC, and the dynamic mechanical properties were examined via DMTA. The results confirmed that the tailored PLA/PCL blends exhibit properties suitable for advanced additive manufacturing (AM) and shape memory applications, merging flexibility and environmental sustainability. This study emphasizes the novelty of integrating multidisciplinary characterization methods to unravel the structure–property relationships in PLA/PCL systems. By addressing modern demands for eco-friendly, high-performance materials, this work establishes a foundation for the development of innovative polymer composites with potential applications in smart and responsive technologies.
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Low PLA crystallinity resulted in the formation of larger PCL spheres (≈1 μm), whereas higher PCL crystallinity promoted finer phase dispersion, leading to smaller PLA droplets (≈0.5 μm) in the 30PLA/70PCL blend.
“Indeed, the low PLA crystallinity resulted in the formation of larger PCL spheres (≈1 µm), whereas higher PCL crystallinity promoted finer phase dispersion, leading to smaller PLA droplets (≈0.5 µm) in the 30PLA/70PCL blend (Figure 4).”
An increase in PLA crystallinity was not observed until the PCL content in the blends reached ca. 40 wt.%.
“In contrast, Ivanov et al. [93] reported that an increase in PLA crystallinity was not observed until the PCL content in the blends reached ca. 40 wt.%.”
The optimum size of the PCL dispersed phase was strongly dependent on the crystallinity of the PLA continuous phase.
“The study further demonstrated that the optimum size of the PCL (i.e., dispersed phase) was strongly dependent on the crystallinity of the PLA (i.e., continuous phase).”
The dispersion of PCL in PLA facilitates faster crystallization kinetics, while the incorporation of PLA into PCL contributes to an increase in crystallinity.
“Nevertheless, this nucleating effect is not exclusive to CNCs; as the dispersion of PCL in PLA (continuous phase) has also been found to facilitate faster crystallization kinetics, while the incorporation of PLA into PCL (continuous phase) similarly contributes to an increase in crystallinity [93].”
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References 43 · Cited by 15
- Authors
- Ivanov, E., Kotsilkova, R., Georgiev, V., Batakliev, T., & Angelov, V.
- Affiliations
- Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BG)
- Corresponding author
- Ivanov, Evgeni
- Venue
- Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2025-01-27
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 35
- ISSN
- 2504-4494 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4406870880
- Cited by
- 15
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 7
- FWCI
- 3.10
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- European Union (BG-RRP-2.011-0001-C01)
- 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 › Polymer composites and self-healing
- Keywords
- PLA/PCL blends, phase separation, polylactic acid, polycaprolactone, polymer blends, melt extrusion, viscoelastic behavior, crystallization behavior, thermal transitions, microstructure, shape memory polymers, additive manufacturing, structure-property relationships, biodegradable polymer composites
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