Development and characterization of polylactic acid/starch biocomposites – From melt blending to preliminary life cycle assessment
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A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
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Date
2024-11
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Language
en
Pages
14
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International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, Volume 279, issue Part 1
Abstract
This study presents a comprehensive analysis encompassing melt blending, characterization, life cycle assessment (LCA), and 3D printing of a range of polylactic acid (PLA)/starch biocomposites, with starch content varying from 0 to 50 wt%. To enhance compatibility between the starch particles and the PLA matrix, we utilized a solvent-free method to graft N-octadecyl isocyanate (ODI) molecules onto the surface of the starch particles, resulting in ODI-g-starch, which yielded several improved properties. Notably, toughness and elongation at break improved by approximately 170 % and 300 %, respectively. Moreover, the crystallinity increased from 11.6 % in plain PLA to 30.1 %, suggesting that the uniform dispersion of ODI-g-starch particles acted as nucleating sites for the crystallization of PLA chains. Additionally, viscosity decreased significantly with the introduction of ODI-g-starch particles, indicating their plasticizing effect, thereby enhancing the processability and ease of fabrication of the biocomposite. Crucially, our LCA analysis revealed a significant reduction in the carbon footprint of these biocomposites, up to 18 % and 63 %, compared to plain PLA and selected fossil-based plastics, respectively, upon the incorporation of ODI-g-starch. In summary, our research introduces the newly developed PLA/starch biocomposites as a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to commercially available plain PLA and specific fossil-based plastics.Description
Keywords
3D printing, Biocomposite, Life cycle assessment, Polylactic acid, Starch
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Citation
Baniasadi, H, Äkräs, L, Madani, Z, Silvenius, F, Fazeli, M, Lipponen, S, Vapaavuori, J & Seppälä, J 2024, ' Development and characterization of polylactic acid/starch biocomposites – From melt blending to preliminary life cycle assessment ', International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, vol. 279, no. Part 1, 135173 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.135173