Influence of accelerated weathering on the physical and structural properties of poly(lactic-acid)/poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PLA/PHBV) blends

The paper aims to study the poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) blend properties after their degradation under 2000 h of accelerated weathering conditions following the ASTM D4329 standard. PLA/PHBV blends form a biphasic system shown by the presence of tw...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Express polymer letters 2021-08, Vol.15 (8), p.687-707
Main Authors: Antunes, A., Luyt, A. S., Popelka, A., Mahmoud, A., Aljarod, O., Hassan, M. K., Kasak, P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
accelerated weathering degradation
Acids
Barriers
Biodegradable materials
Biopolymers
Contact angle
Crystal structure
Crystallinity
Differential scanning calorimetry
Fourier transforms
Glass transition temperature
Humidity
Landfill
Mixtures
Morphology
Photodegradation
poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvaler
poly(lactic-acid)
Polylactic acid
Polymer blends
polymer blends and alloys
Polymerization
Scanning electron microscopy
Temperature
Weathering
Wettability
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Summary:The paper aims to study the poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) blend properties after their degradation under 2000 h of accelerated weathering conditions following the ASTM D4329 standard. PLA/PHBV blends form a biphasic system shown by the presence of two distinct glass transition temperatures and melting temperatures in differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis, attributed to the neat polymers regardless of the blend composition. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that the addition of high PHBV content to the blend results in a very heterogeneous surface with cavities available for moisture and UV penetration resulting in easier bulk and in-depth degradation of the samples. Thus, the wettability properties (evaluated by contact angle measurements) of the blends changed significantly over the weathering time. On the other hand, the PLA content delays the degradation process of the blends because of the resultant crystallinity from weathering degradation which exhibits a physical barrier to protect the PHBV fraction. PHBV improves the toughness of the blend and acts as a nucleating agent for PLA, promoting its crystallinity during sample preparation. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) confirmed photodegradation of all the blends via a Norrish II mechanism.
ISSN:1788-618X
1788-618X
DOI:10.3144/expresspolymlett.2021.58