Epoxidized Soybean Oil Toughened Poly(lactic acid)/Lignin-g-Poly(lauryl methacrylate) Bio-Composite Films with...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Biocomposites

Background:

• Lignin as a filler in poly (lactic acid) (PLA) is limited by poor interfacial adhesion.
• Grafting lignin with poly(lauryl methacrylate) (LG-g-PLMA) aims to improve compatibility.
• Developing advanced biocomposites for sustainable applications is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) as a plasticizer on PLA/LG-g-PLMA composites.
• To enhance the mechanical, thermal, and rheological properties of the biocomposite films.
• To evaluate the potential of these composites for environmentally friendly food packaging.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of PLA/LG-g-PLMA/ESO composite films via hot pressing.
• Characterization of thermal, mechanical, and rheological properties.
• Analysis of fracture surface morphology and UV barrier properties.

Main Results:

• ESO addition significantly improved the compatibility and toughness of PLA/LG-g-PLMA composites.
• Elongation at break increased from 5.6% to 104.6% with 5 phr ESO.
• Tensile toughness increased from 4.1 MJ/m³ to 44.7 MJ/m³.
• Composites showed excellent UV barrier properties and low overall migration.

Conclusions:

• ESO acts as an effective plasticizer, enhancing the properties of PLA/LG-g-PLMA composites.
• The toughening mechanism involves ESO's plasticization and interaction with PLA's carboxyl groups.
• The developed biocomposite films show promise for sustainable food packaging applications.