Influence of addition of organic fillers on the properties of mechanically recycled PLA

Abstract

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is one of the most used biobased and biodegradable polymers. Due to their high stability, some of the newest grades of PLA are only degradable under severe industrial conditions. For these grades, mechanical recycling is a viable end-of-life option, with great environmental advantages. However, the polymer undergoes degradation during its service life and in the melt reprocessing, which leads to a decrease in properties that can compromise the recyclability of PLA. The goal of this work was to evaluate the usefulness of adding small amounts of two organic fillers, chitosan, and silk fibroin nanoparticles, during the recycling process for improving the properties of the recycled plastic. The degradation level of the aged polymer and the nature and amount of filler affect the performance of the recycled plastics. The fillers reduce the degradation during the melt reprocessing of PLA previously subjected to severe hydrolysis, thus increasing the intrinsic viscosity of the recycled plastic. A careful selection of the added organic filler lead to recycled plastics with improvements in some key mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties. Thus, the use of organic fillers represents a cost-effective and environmentally sound way for improving the mechanical recycling of bioplastics.