Naturally occurring eugenyl acetate as biobased plasticizer for sustainable polylactide formulations with improved toughness
[EN] In this study, we explore the potential of eugenyl acetate (EAc), a naturally occurring ester of eugenol, as a biobased plasticizer to overcome the intrinsic brittleness of polylactide (PLA) derived from starch. A theoretical assessment of the miscibility between PLA and EAc is carried out. Our...
| Autores: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2025 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) |
| Repositorio: | RiuNet. Repositorio Institucional de la Universitat Politécnica de Valéncia |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:riunet.upv.es:10251/232623 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://riunet.upv.es/handle/10251/232623 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Poly(lactide) Sustainability Biobased Plasticizer Eugenol ester Toughness Thermal properties 08.- Fomentar el crecimiento económico sostenido, inclusivo y sostenible, el empleo pleno y productivo, y el trabajo decente para todos 09.- Desarrollar infraestructuras resilientes, promover la industrialización inclusiva y sostenible, y fomentar la innovación 12.- Garantizar las pautas de consumo y de producción sostenibles |
| Sumario: | [EN] In this study, we explore the potential of eugenyl acetate (EAc), a naturally occurring ester of eugenol, as a biobased plasticizer to overcome the intrinsic brittleness of polylactide (PLA) derived from starch. A theoretical assessment of the miscibility between PLA and EAc is carried out. Our findings demonstrate that EAc shows exceptional miscibility with PLA, as confirmed by their similar solubility parameters (EAc-19.83 MPa1/2, and PLA-20.66 MPa1/2), and an interaction parameter of ¿ = 0.39. The incorporation of EAc improves the ductility of PLA, with strain at break increasing to 427.7 % at 20 wt% EAc, compared to a brittle 10.2 % for neat PLA. The plasticizing effect of EAc also leads to a considerable reduction in the glass transition temperature of PLA, from 60.4 °C to 35.7 °C at 20 wt% EAc. Scanning electron microscopy reveals no phase separation and the development of plastic deformation in PLA formulations with 15¿20 wt% EAc. Additionally, all plasticized formulations exhibit full biodegradation in controlled compost conditions in <8 weeks. These results contribute to advancing PLA-based formulations that are both high-performance and eco-friendly, supporting the broader goals of sustainable development in polymer science. |
|---|