Polylactide/poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) blends: Morphology and mechanical properties

The morphology and the mechanical properties of polylactide/poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) blends of various compositions were studied. The statistical analysis of the scanning electron microscopy images allowed finding two statistical ensembles of the minor-phase particles. The first ensemble involves the dispersed particles, whereas the sec- ond one contains the coalesced particles. The mean diameters of both dispersed and coalesced minor-phase particles were calculated and plotted against the blend composition. Young's modulus, tensile strength, elongation at break, and Charpy impact strength of the blends were determined and examined as a function of the blend composition. The Young's modulus values were shown to be in accordance with theoretical predictions.

[1]  A. Janorkar,et al.  Poly(lactic acid) modifications , 2010 .

[2]  D. H. Ramkumar,et al.  Steady shear and dynamic properties of biodegradable polyesters , 1998 .

[3]  Y. Inoue,et al.  Enthalpy Relaxation and Embrittlement of Poly(l-lactide) during Physical Aging , 2007 .

[4]  R. Metzler,et al.  AGGREGATE MODEL OF LIQUIDS , 1997 .

[5]  A. M. El-hadi,et al.  Effect of Melt Processing on Crystallization Behavior and Rheology of Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and its Blends , 2002 .

[6]  P. Ma,et al.  Mechanical, thermal and degradation properties of poly(d,l-lactide)/poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate)/poly(ethylene glycol) blend , 2008 .

[7]  B. Pukánszky,et al.  Interactions, structure and properties in poly(lactic acid)/thermoplastic polymer blends , 2014 .

[8]  Rubens Maciel Filho,et al.  Poly-lactic acid synthesis for application in biomedical devices - a review. , 2012, Biotechnology advances.

[9]  P. Holmes.  Biologically Produced (R)-3-Hydroxy- Alkanoate Polymers and Copolymers , 1988 .

[10]  K. Koelling,et al.  Miscibility of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) with high molecular weight poly(lactic acid) blends determined by thermal analysis , 2012 .

[11]  Donald Garlotta,et al.  A Literature Review of Poly(Lactic Acid) , 2001 .

[12]  A. Werker,et al.  The chemomechanical properties of microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates , 2013 .

[13]  A. Owen,et al.  Miscibility, crystallization and melting of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)/ poly(l-lactide) blends , 1995 .

[14]  J. Borzelleca,et al.  Safety assessment of polylactide (PLA) for use as a food-contact polymer. , 1995, Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association.

[15]  Y. Doi,et al.  Miscibility of Binary Blends of Poly((R)-3-Hydroxybutyric Acid) and Poly((S)-Lactic Acid) , 1997 .

[16]  R. Li,et al.  Phase morphology, physical properties, and biodegradation behavior of novel PLA/PHBHHx blends. , 2012, Journal of biomedical materials research. Part B, Applied biomaterials.

[17]  Zhixiang Cui,et al.  Processing and characterization of solid and microcellular poly(lactic acid)/polyhydroxybutyrate-valerate (PLA/PHBV) blends and PLA/PHBV/Clay nanocomposites , 2013 .

[18]  A. E. Dowrey,et al.  Polymer alloys of Nodax copolymers and poly(lactic acid). , 2004, Macromolecular bioscience.

[19]  C. Zavaglia,et al.  Films of PLLA/PHBV: Thermal, morphological, and mechanical characterization , 2002 .

[20]  Weihua Tang,et al.  Polyoxymethylene/thermoplastic polyurethane blends compatibilized with multifunctional chain extender , 2013 .

[21]  I. Alig,et al.  Flow-induced size distribution and anisotropy of the minor phase droplets in a polypropylene/poly (ethylene-octene) copolymer blend: Interplay between break-up and coalescence , 2012 .

[22]  S. Bronnikov,et al.  Statistical analysis of the phase separation of LDPE/PA-6 blends compatibilized with SEBS-g-MA and/or organoclays , 2010 .

[23]  Manfred Zinn,et al.  Biodegradable Bicomponent Fibers from Renewable Sources: Melt‐Spinning of Poly(lactic acid) and Poly[(3‐hydroxybutyrate)‐co‐(3‐hydroxyvalerate)] , 2012 .

[24]  M. Misra,et al.  The Effects of Process Engineering on the Performance of PLA and PHBV Blends , 2011 .

[25]  P. Yu,et al.  Minor‐phase particles evolution in a polyethylene/ethylene–propylene copolymer (80/20) blend across mixing: Breakup and coalescence , 2013 .

[26]  K. Sudesh,et al.  Synthesis, structure and properties of polyhydroxyalkanoates: biological polyesters , 2000 .

[27]  S. Bronnikov,et al.  Statistical Analysis of Morphology of Low Density Polyethylene/Polyamide 6 Blends with Addition of Organoclay and Maleic Anhydride-Grafted Polystyrene-b-Poly(Ethylene-co-Butene-1)-b-Polystyrene Copolymer As Compatibilizers , 2012 .

[28]  H. Kilian,et al.  Transformations of the Micro-Domain Structure of Polyimide Films during Thermally Induced Chemical Conversion: Characterization via Thermodynamics of Irreversible Processes , 2003 .

[29]  A. Marcilla,et al.  Study of the behavior of blends of a poly(hydroxybutyrate‐valerate) copolymer, polypropylene, and SEBS , 2009 .

[30]  T. Budtova,et al.  Morphology and molten-state rheology of polylactide and polyhydroxyalkanoate blends , 2012 .

[31]  A. Galeski,et al.  Tough blends of poly(lactide) and amorphous poly([R,S]-3-hydroxy butyrate) – morphology and properties , 2013 .

[32]  Zachary C. Wright,et al.  Characterizing the effects of ambient aging on the mechanical and physical properties of two commercially available bacterial thermoplastics , 2012 .

[33]  A. Guinault,et al.  PLA/PHBV Films with Improved Mechanical and Gas Barrier Properties , 2012 .