This study was aimed at the modulation of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) properties by the addition of both a low-molecular-weight plasticizer, acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC), and a biodegradable aliphatic-aromatic copolyester, poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT). PLA/PBAT, PLA/ATBC, and PLA/PBAT/ATBC mixtures with 10-35 wt % ATBC and/or PBAT were prepared in a discontinuous laboratory mixer, compression-molded, and characterized by thermal, morphological, and mechanical tests to evaluate the effect of the concentration of either the plasticizer or copolyester on the final material flexibility. Materials with modulable properties, Young's modulus in the range 100-3000 MPa and elongation at break in the range 10-300%, were obtained. Moreover, thermal analysis showed a preferential solubilization of ATBC in the PBAT phase. Gas permeability tests were also performed to assess possible use in food packaging applications. The results are discussed with particular emphasis toward the effects of plasticization on physical blending in the determination of the phase morphology and final properties.
The world is confronted with the depletion of natural resources due to their unsustainable use and the increasing size of populations. In this context, the efficient use of by-products, residues and wastes generated from agro-industrial and food processing opens the perspective for a wide range of benefits. In particular, legume residues are produced yearly in very large amounts and may represent an interesting source of plant proteins that contribute to satisfying the steadily increasing global protein demand. Innovative biorefinery extraction cascades may also enable the recovery of further bioactive molecules and fibers from these insufficiently tapped biomass streams. This review article gives a summary of the potential for the valorization of legume residual streams resulting from agro-industrial processing and more particularly for pea, green bean and chickpea by-products/wastes. Valuable information on the annual production volumes, geographical origin and state-of-the-art technologies for the extraction of proteins, fibers and other bioactive molecules from this source of biomass, is exhaustively listed and discussed. Finally, promising applications, already using the recovered fractions from pea, bean and chickpea residues for the formulation of feed, food, cosmetic and packaging products, are listed and discussed.
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