Bionanocomposite films based on plasticized PLA PHB/cellulose nanocrystal blends

Optically transparent plasticized poly(lactic acid) (PLA) based bionanocomposite films intended for food packaging were prepared by melt blending. Materials were plasticized with 15 wt% of acetyl(tributyl citrate) (ATBC) to improve the material process ability and to obtain flexibile films. Poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) was used to increase PLA crystallinity. The thermal stability of the PLA-PHB blends was improved by the addition of 5 wt% of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) or modified cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) synthesized from microcrystalline cellulose. The combination of ATBC and cellulose nanocrystals, mainly the better dispersed CNCs, improved the interaction between PLA and PHB. Thus, an improvement on the oxygen barrier and stretchability was achieved in PLA-PHB-CNCs-ATBC which also displayed somewhat UV light blocking effect. All bionanocomposite films presented appropriate disintegration in compost suggesting their possible applications as biodegradable packaging materials. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Authors wish to acknowledge Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MAT2011-28468-C02-01 and 02), Prof. A. Jimenez and Dr. Nuria Burgos (University of Alicante, Spain) for their assistance in OTR measurements and Gesenu S.p.a. for compost supply. M.P. Arrieta wishes to thank Generalitat Valenciana for Santiago Grisolia Fellowship (2011/007) and Universitat Politecnica de Valencia for the Development Support Programme PAID-00-12 (SP20120120).Arrieta, MP.; Fortunati, E.; Dominici, F.; López Martínez, J.; Kenny, JM. (2015). Bionanocomposite films based on plasticized PLA PHB/cellulose nanocrystal blends. Carbohydrate Polymers. (121):265-275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2014.12.056S26527512