Chitin Nanocomposite Based on Plasticized Poly(lactic acid)/Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PLA/PHB) Blends as Fully Biodegradable Packaging Materials

IGLESIAS-MONTES, MAGDALENA L.; SOCCIO, MICHELINA; SIRACUSA, VALENTINA; GAZZANO, MASSIMO; LOTTI, NADIA; CYRAS, VIVIANA P.; MANFREDI, LILIANA B.

Polymers

Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute

Año: 2022 vol. 14

Fully bio-based poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) blends plas-ticized with tributyrin (TB), and their nanocomposite based on chitin nanoparticles (ChNPs) wasdeveloped using melt mixing followed by a compression molding process. The combination of PHBand ChNPs had an impact on the crystallinity of the plasticized PLA matrix, thus improving itsoxygen and carbon dioxide barrier properties as well as displaying a UV light-blocking effect. Theaddition of 2 wt% of ChNP induced an improvement on the initial thermal degradation temperatureand the overall migration behavior of blends, which had been compromised by the presence of TB. Allprocessed materials were fully disintegrated under composting conditions, suggesting their potentialapplication as fully biodegradable packaging materials.