Reactive Compounding of Poly(lactic acid) for Blown Film Manufacture

Abstract

The benefits associated with poly(lactic acid) enable to create bio-based and eco-friendly films. These films, however, have very limited use because they are brittle with limited elongation and low tearing strength. These properties can be successfully improved by incorporating a reactive system consisting of an ethylene-butyl acrylate-glycidyl methacrylate terploymer (EBA-GMA), a zinc ionomer of ethylenemethacrylic acid copolymer (EMMA-Zn) and a flexible polymeric material onto the PLA backbone. The resulting grafting mechanism allows to convert a brittle poly(lactic acid) into a flexible, high melt strength film using existing equipment for extrusion film blowing process. The ultimate object of the present study is to expand the choice of suitable flexible polymers for melt compounding with PLA and to optimise the film blowing process. In this study the grafting mechanisms, possible side reactions and compatibilisation phenomena are discussed in detail. A number of polymeric materials at different blend rations will be selected and melt compounded with PLA. The structural and thermo-mechanical properties of the blown films produced are investigated, using several analytical and thermos mechanical methods.