Influence of natural additives on the properties of a milk-based compostable bioplastic

The ongoing revolution in the plastic sector is the use of renewable and compostable materials obtained from biomass. However, their mechanical strength and thermal stability are generally not sufficient for practical applications. This study investigates the influence of natural additives on the physical-mechanical properties of a new biobased compostable bioplastic, SP-Milk®, produced from milk scraps. To provide this matrix the appropriate mechanical and thermal properties for daily use while leaving its compostability unchanged, the effect of incorporating vegetal fibres and organic particulates into the bulk bioplastic was investigated. Mechanical tests showed that fibres with a length of 2 mm are capable of increasing ductility by up to 97% compared with the original matrix, whereas fibres with a length of 10 mm led to a more effective reinforcement due to the residual resistance effect, increasing the final compressive strain from 20% (original matrix) to 70.9%. The addition of particulate yielded a harder and more resistant material, and the elastic modulus increased by 21%, although with loss of ductility, compared to SP-Milk® alone. The combination of fibres and particles resulted in the preservation of the positive effects of both components, showing a higher elastic modulus (240 ± 20 MPa, compared to 199 ± 12 MPa for the matrix), higher ductility (+50%) and higher strain at failure (+30%), compared with the matrix. Excellent compatibility between the polymeric matrix and both the fibres and the granules was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy. The thermal analysis demonstrated improved thermal stability particularly because of the effect of the combination of granules and fibres. The results validate that natural reinforcement agents are effective and ecologically advantageous.