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Design and Characterization of High-Performance Borophene Oxide-Reinforced PLA/PEG Composite Films
Merve Ercan Kalkan1, Sema Samatya Yilmaz1,2, Nurseli Görener Erdem3
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli 41380, Türkiye.
ACS Omega
|March 30, 2026
Summary
Borophene oxide enhanced polylactic acid/polyethylene glycol films for packaging. The addition of borophene oxide (BO) improved tensile strength, thermal stability, and antibacterial properties, showing promise for packaging applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Plasticized polylactic acid/polyethylene glycol (PLA/PEG) matrices are widely used but often require property enhancement for demanding applications.
- Borophene oxide (BO) is a novel nanomaterial with potential to improve polymer matrix properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize borophene oxide (BO) and incorporate it into a plasticized polylactic acid/polyethylene glycol (PLA/PEG) matrix.
- To characterize the resulting composite films for potential use in packaging applications.
- To evaluate the impact of BO on the thermal, mechanical, structural, morphological, and antibacterial properties of PLA/PEG films.
Main Methods:
- Modified Hummer method for borophene oxide (BO) synthesis.
- Solution-casting technique for fabricating PLA/PEG/BO composite films.
- Comprehensive characterization including thermal (TGA), mechanical (tensile testing), structural, morphological, and antibacterial assays.
Main Results:
- Addition of 0.5 wt% BO significantly increased tensile strength by approximately 72% (to 22.6 MPa), while higher concentrations reduced elongation.
- Thermal stability improved, with Td10 increasing from 310 °C to ~338 °C with low BO content.
- Water vapor barrier properties were enhanced at 0.5-0.7 wt% BO, and films showed greater antibacterial activity against *S. aureus* than *E. coli*.
Conclusions:
- The developed PLA/PEG/BO composite films exhibit enhanced mechanical strength, thermal stability, and antibacterial activity.
- The films show significant promise for advanced packaging applications, particularly where vapor permeation resistance and Gram-positive bacterial control are crucial.
- Optimized BO content is critical for balancing property enhancements and avoiding performance degradation.
