Opportunities for PLA and Its Blends in Various Applications

Abstract

PLA is one of the promising biopolymer featuring unique properties such as excellent biodegradability, biocompatibility, good mechanical strength and easy processability. Although its properties are comparable to synthetic polymers, its success is impeded by its cost and brittleness. In order to further extend its applicability in different fields, blending with other cheaper and ductile/flexible polymers has been subjecting of the research since its introduction early in the 1880s. It is recognized that direct blending usually results in unanticipated properties because of PLA immiscibility with other polymers. In this chapter, we discuss the challenges faced in direct blending PLA with other polymers and the use of compatibilizers and/or plasticizers to improve the processability and/or performance of the resulting blend. The opportunities and progress made with some strategies to minimize the immiscibility of PLA with other biopolymers are also discussed. We concluded with future trends and recommendations that should enable the production of high-end performance PLA-based bio-blends.