Super‐tough poly(lactic acid) using a fully bio‐based polyester containing malic acid via in‐situ interfacial compatibilization

Abstract

Reactive interfacial compatibilization is the most efficient way to prepare super-tough poly (lactic acid) (PLA) materials. Introducing a post-reactive group into a toughening agent that can react with PLA is the key issue. Herein, we reported a series of fully bio-based polyesters (PBSePM) synthesized with sebacic acid, diethyl malate, 1,3-propanediol, and 1,4-butanediol via transesterification in one pot. Super-tough PLA materials can be obtained by reactively blending with PBSePM in the presence of hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI). In the processing, the side hydroxyl group of the PBSePM reacted with HDI and formed polyurethane elastomer to improve the toughness of PLA.Moreover, the in-situ formed PLA-g-PBSePM grafted copolymer enhanced the interfacial adhesion. With increasing diethyl malate moiety in PBSePM, the PBSePM phase morphology transformed from co-continuous phase structure to semi-continuous and "sea-island" phase structure. When adding 20 wt% PBSePM, all PLA/PBSePM blends have a notched impact strength higher than 53 kJ m À2 , suggested a super toughness effect. Maximum impact strength of 83 kJ m À2 was realized while the PBSePM containing 20% diethyl malate moiety. In addition, super-tough PLA materials can be achieved by only adding 15 wt% PBSePM20, exhibited a highly efficient toughening effect.

Green synthesis and characterization of a wholly bio-based self-healing polyester elastomer and its graphene nanocomposites

“…Recently, there has been a significantly growing interest in developing bio-based polyesters from renewable resources. Isosorbide 4 , D-mannitol 5 , 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid 6 , sebacic acid 7 , lactic acid, 8 citric acid, itaconic acid and glycolic acid are some important monomers derived from biomass 9 which are used in the synthesis of bio-based polyesters, replacing conventional petrochemical-based polyesters. For instance, Lavilla et al synthesized bio-based aromatic rigid polyesters from Manx which is derived from D-Mannitol.…”