PLA/PHB Blends: Biocompatibilizer Effects
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The purpose of this work was to formulate a fully bio-based blend with superior properties, based on two immiscible polymers: polylactic acid (PLA) and poly-hydroxy butyrate (PHB). To improve the miscibility between the polymeric phases, two different kinds of compatibilizers with a different chemical structure were used, namely, an ethylene oxide/propylene oxide block copolymer in the form of flakes and a mixture of two liquid surfactants with a variable lipophilic–hydrophilic index. The morphology of the blends and their thermal, mechanical, and rheological behavior were evaluated, aiming at assessing the influence of the selected compatibilizers on the microstructure and final properties of the systems. Morphological analyses of the compatibilized blends indicated that the liquid surfactant is more effective than the solid copolymer in inducing morphology refinement, as also suggested by results coming from rheological measurements. Furthermore, thermal analyses demonstrated that the presence of both kinds of compatibilizers induced an enhancement of the crystallinity content of blends. Finally, a remarkable increase of the elastic modulus values was obtained for the compatibilized blends as compared to the pure counterparts, with a consequent significant enhancement of the HDT values.
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While PHB and low molecular weight PLA are miscible, PHB and high molecular weight PLA are not.
“While PHB and low molecular weight PLA are miscible, PHB and high molecular weight PLA are not [168,180].”
From Resorbable Biomaterials Used for 3D Scaffolds in Tissue Engineering: A Review (2023) · cites this paper as [168]
The Introduction and Results and Discussion (§3.4; page unavailable) describe PLA/PHB blends as immiscible. The paper does not compare low- and high-molecular-weight PLA or establish that PHB is miscible with the former but not the latter. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe miscibility of PLA and PHB depends on the molecular weight of PLA.
“The miscibility of PLA and PHB (the most common type of PHAs) depends on the molecular weight of PLA.”
From Resorbable Biomaterials Used for 3D Scaffolds in Tissue Engineering: A Review (2023) · cites this paper as [168]
The Introduction discusses PLA/PHB immiscibility and approaches to improving compatibility, while the SEM results report immiscibility at the weight ratio studied. Neither passage addresses whether miscibility depends on PLA molecular weight; searches for molecular weight and molecular mass found no such comparison in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.76)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredSeveral reports are present in the literature documenting the melt blending of PLA with different bio-based or FBPs, such as PCL, PEG, starch, and PHB.
“Several reports are present in the literature documenting the melt blending of PLA with different bio-based or FBPs, such as PCL, PEG, starch, and PHB [168].”
From Resorbable Biomaterials Used for 3D Scaffolds in Tissue Engineering: A Review (2023) · cites this paper as [168]
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Cites
Research progress in toughening modification of poly(lactic acid)
Liu, H., & Zhang, J. (2011) · Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics · doi:10.1002/polb.22283 · Cited by 767 · see citing works
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Research works printed but not linked: 13
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Zhao, X., Liu, J., Li, J., Liang, X., Zhou, W., & Peng, S. (2022) · International Journal of Biological Macromolecules · doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.07.091 · Cited by 249 · see citing works
Resorbable Biomaterials Used for 3D Scaffolds in Tissue Engineering: A Review
Vach Agocsova, S., Culenova, M., Birova, I., Omanikova, L., Moncmanova, B., Danisovic, L., Ziaran, S., Bakos, D., & Alexy, P. (2023) · Materials · doi:10.3390/ma16124267 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
- Authors
- D’Anna, A., Arrigo, R., & Frache, A.
- Affiliations
- Department of Applied Science and Technology, Viale Teresa Michel 5, 15121 Alessandria, Italy
- Corresponding author
- Frache, Alberto
- Venue
- Polymers
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2019-08-28
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 1416
- ISSN
- 2073-4360 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6780201
- OpenAlex
- W2970836841
- Cited by
- 81
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 1
- FWCI
- 1.70
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- dx.doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Polymers (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PORTO@Iris (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- 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 › Materials Chemistry › Block Copolymer Self-Assembly
- Keywords
- polylactic acid, polyhydroxybutyrate, polymer blends, immiscible polymer blends, compatibilizer, blend morphology, crystallinity, elastic modulus, heat deflection temperature, bio-based polymers, rheology
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