PLA/PBAT Based Bioblend Systems for Green Packaging Applications

Today packaging has become an enormous industry, which generally produces single-used items from petroleum-based materials mostly for food storage and transportation. Unfortunately, these products have come to pose a great threat to the environment, due to their great utilization both by the food industry and also by the population. To overcome this problem, manufacturing packaging applications from green materials that are both bio-based and biodegradable is a rational solution. PLA could be one of the best materials for altering petroleum-based polymers with a green alternative, not only for its high modulus, high strength, good clarity, and barrier properties but also for its commercial availability. Although there are some restrictions in the brittleness and processability, these can be solved economically by blending it with another green polymer with higher ductility and processability. Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) is a biodegradable polymer with high flexibility and toughness. However, it suffers from low modulus and strength and is expensive. Blending PLA with lower amounts of PBAT could combine the superior properties of each polymer and form a green alternative material suitable for packaging applications.

PLA/PBAT blend has an immiscible structure leading to distinct phase regions. Tailoring composition, adjusting processing conditions and routes, and nanofillers or compatibilizer addition could improve intended properties. Therefore, the research on PLA/PBAT blends continues through material and method developments. In this chapter, a review of studies on PLA/PBAT blends have been given, and the challenges in development and their solutions have been discussed.