Ultimate properties evaluation of biodegradeable Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and Poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) blends for packaging application

Biodegradable polymeric blends are expected to be widely used by the industry due to their environmentally friendliness and relatively comparable properties such as mechanical and thermal properties. Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) are such biodegradable polymers which aims to highlight on recent developments in future applications due to their eco-friendliness as contrast to commodity polymers. Since cost of PLA is quite high and is quite brittle, it is not economically feasible to use it alone for day to day use as a packaging material. In this study, blends of PLA and PBS with various compositions were extruded by melt blending at 1800C. Rheological, mechanical and morphological properties were investigated to explore the suitability of these compositions for packaging application. Advanced Rheometric Expansion system (ARES) was used for rhelogical measurements. The Tensile Strength and Modulus were measured by Instron Universal Testing Machine. Morphology of the blends was investigated by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Tensile strength and modulus of the blends decreased with PBS content. PBS reduced the brittleness of PLA. Rheological properties changed remarkably with composition of PBS in PLA.