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Tributyl Citrate Oligomers as Plasticizers for Poly (lactic acid): Thermo-mechanical Film Properties and Aging

Ljungberg, Nadia LU and Wesslén, Bengt LU (2003) In Polymer 44(25). p.7679-7688
Abstract
Poly (lactic acid), PLA, is a biodegradable thermoplastic that can be produced from renewable resources. The polymer is of interest for production of films for packaging applications. However, plasticization of PLA is required in order to obtain films with sufficient flexibility. PLA was blended with tributyl citrate (TbC) and two oligomers of TbC that were synthesized by transesterification of tributyl citrate (TbC) and diethylene glycol (DEG). Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to investigate the dynamic mechanical and thermal properties of the blends. All the plasticizers investigated decreased the glass transition temperature of PLA, and the reduction was the largest with the... (More)
Poly (lactic acid), PLA, is a biodegradable thermoplastic that can be produced from renewable resources. The polymer is of interest for production of films for packaging applications. However, plasticization of PLA is required in order to obtain films with sufficient flexibility. PLA was blended with tributyl citrate (TbC) and two oligomers of TbC that were synthesized by transesterification of tributyl citrate (TbC) and diethylene glycol (DEG). Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to investigate the dynamic mechanical and thermal properties of the blends. All the plasticizers investigated decreased the glass transition temperature of PLA, and the reduction was the largest with the plasticizer having the lowest molecular weight. The PLA matrix became saturated with plasticizer at a certain concentration and phase separation occurred; the higher the molecular weight of the plasticizer, the lower the saturation concentration. Aging of the blends at room temperature for several months induced partial phase separation in the material. It was observed that the morphological stability of the blends was enhanced when the plasticizer concentration was reasonably low, i.e. 10–15 wt%. (Less)
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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Poly (lactic acid), Plasticization, Oligomeric citrate esters
in
Polymer
volume
44
issue
25
pages
7679 - 7688
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000186550500014
  • scopus:0242527337
ISSN
0032-3861
DOI
10.1016/j.polymer.2003.09.055
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Polymer and Materials Chemistry (LTH) (011001041)
id
8e04bca9-e811-43a8-b866-206927a910f1 (old id 129539)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:56:46
date last changed
2022-03-30 04:22:31
@article{8e04bca9-e811-43a8-b866-206927a910f1,
  abstract     = {{Poly (lactic acid), PLA, is a biodegradable thermoplastic that can be produced from renewable resources. The polymer is of interest for production of films for packaging applications. However, plasticization of PLA is required in order to obtain films with sufficient flexibility. PLA was blended with tributyl citrate (TbC) and two oligomers of TbC that were synthesized by transesterification of tributyl citrate (TbC) and diethylene glycol (DEG). Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to investigate the dynamic mechanical and thermal properties of the blends. All the plasticizers investigated decreased the glass transition temperature of PLA, and the reduction was the largest with the plasticizer having the lowest molecular weight. The PLA matrix became saturated with plasticizer at a certain concentration and phase separation occurred; the higher the molecular weight of the plasticizer, the lower the saturation concentration. Aging of the blends at room temperature for several months induced partial phase separation in the material. It was observed that the morphological stability of the blends was enhanced when the plasticizer concentration was reasonably low, i.e. 10–15 wt%.}},
  author       = {{Ljungberg, Nadia and Wesslén, Bengt}},
  issn         = {{0032-3861}},
  keywords     = {{Poly (lactic acid); Plasticization; Oligomeric citrate esters}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{25}},
  pages        = {{7679--7688}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Polymer}},
  title        = {{Tributyl Citrate Oligomers as Plasticizers for Poly (lactic acid): Thermo-mechanical Film Properties and Aging}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2003.09.055}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.polymer.2003.09.055}},
  volume       = {{44}},
  year         = {{2003}},
}