Journal
POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY
Volume 158, Issue -, Pages 40-51Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2018.10.017
Keywords
Self-reinforced composites (SRCs); Polylactide (PLA); Biodegradation; Composting; Hydrothermal degradation; Thermal degradation
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Funding
- European Regional Development Fund
- Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [ENE2014-53734-C2-1-R, UPOV13-3E-1947]
- Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports [FPU13/01916]
- Generalitat Valenciana [APOSTD14/041]
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Self-reinforced polymer composites (SRCs) are proposed as a suitable alternative for composite development, based in the combination of a polymeric matrix and a polymeric fibre made of the same polymer. SRCs based in polylactide (PLA) could be fully biodegradable and their valorisation routes could presumably be assimilated to those for neat PEA. In this sense, the aim of this study was to develop new self-reinforced PLA-based composites and ascertain their biodegradability. For this purpose, PLA-based SRCs were obtained through a thermo-compression procedure and their biodegradability corroborated under standard conditions (ISO 20200). Moreover, a deep study of the effect of the different factors involved in the biodegradation of the composites such as the temperature, the water and the compost medium was considered relevant to delimitate the long-term properties and valorisation routes for these materials. The macroscopic and microscopic appearance as well as the thermo-oxidative stability, the thermal properties and the molar mass were evaluated. Although degradation was perceived due to the effect of temperature, the synergistic combination of water and temperature and compost was found to play a key role in the biodegradation of these materials. Overall, these SRCs can be considered as promising candidates, since their end-of-life management options can be guaranteed under standardised composting conditions. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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