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Cited by 49biodegradable polymer synthesis and propertiesPolymer crystallization and propertiesNatural Fiber Reinforced Composites

Manufacturing and Characterization of Toughened Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) Formulations by Ternary Blends with Biopolyesters

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García-Campo, María, Boronat, Teodomiro, Quiles-Carrillo, Luis, Balart, Rafael, Montanes, Nestor·2017·Polymers
DOI 10.3390/polym10010003PMC PMC6415117
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Abstract

Ternary blends with a constant poly(lactic acid) (PLA) content (60 wt %) and varying amounts of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) were manufactured by one step melt blending process followed by injection moulding, with the main aim of improving the low intrinsic toughness of PLA. Mechanical properties were obtained from tensile and Charpy impact tests. The miscibility and morphology of the system was studied by thermal analysis and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The obtained results showed a clear phase separation, thus indicating poor miscibility between these three biopolyesters, i.e., PLA, the continuous component with dispersed PHB and PCL domains in the form of different sphere size. Nevertheless, the high fragility of PLA was remarkably reduced, as detected by the Charpy impact test. In accordance with the decrease in brittleness, a remarkable increase in elongation at break is achieved, with increasing PCL load due to its flexibility; in addition, increasing PCL load provides thermal stability at high temperatures. Thus, tailored materials can be manufactured by melt blending PLA, PHB, and PCL in different percentages to offer a wide range of biodegradable polymer blends.

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  • The trade-off between enhanced toughness and impaired strength/modulus in PLA-PCL persists despite efforts to modify hierarchical structures.

    “However, the contradiction between enhanced toughness and impaired strength and modulus always existed.”

    From Simultaneously Toughening and Strengthening of PLA-b-PCL Copolymer via Pressure-induced-flow Processing at Room Temperature (2018) · cites this paper as [21]

    The Conclusions (section 4; page not provided) state that PCL gives the highest toughness while other mechanical properties are reduced. The mechanical-results section (3.1; page not provided) reports a lower modulus, but says tensile strength was not remarkably reduced. The paper does not establish that this trade-off always persists despite efforts to modify hierarchical structures. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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References 61 · Cited by 49

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Authors
García-Campo, M., Boronat, T., Quiles-Carrillo, L., Balart, R., & Montanes, N.
Affiliations
  • Universitat Politècnica de València (ES)
  • Materials Science Division, Technological Institute of Materials, Universitat Politècnica de València, 03801 Alcoy, Alicante, Spain
Corresponding author
Balart, Rafael
ORCID
Venue
Polymers
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2017-12-21
Volume
10
Issue
1
Pages
3
ISSN
2073-4360 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/polym10010003
PMC
PMC6415117
OpenAlex
W2777864892
Cited by
49
References
61
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 1
FWCI
1.28
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Polymers (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • RiuNet (Universitat Politècnica de València) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
  • Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MAT2014-59242-C2-1-R)
  • Generalitat Valenciana (ACIF/2016/182)
  • Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports (FPU15/03812)
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
polylactic acid, polyhydroxybutyrate, polycaprolactone, ternary polymer blends, toughening, phase separation, miscibility, impact toughness, elongation at break, thermal stability, biodegradable polymers, melt blending, injection molding

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