Preparation and Physical Properties of Eco-Friendly Biodegradable PLA/PBAT/HCO Blended Films

In this study, eco-friendly biodegradable materials were prepared using poly(lactic acid) (PLA), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), and hydrogenated castor oil power (HCO) as an additive. The prepared PLA/PBAT/HCO blended films were characterized by the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The results of SEM analysis indicated that PLA/PBAT (8 : 2) blended films added HCO showed no rough area, crack, or large agglomeration when compared with those adding various additives (12-hydroxy stearic acid (12HSA) and cellulose). The FT-IR results indicated the presence of specific peak of HCO in the PLA/PBAT blended films, and its peak intensity increased with increasing HCO content (0-5.0 wt%). Tensile strength, elongation at break, and water barrier and thermal properties of the prepared PLA/PBAT/HCO blended films were also investigated, indicating that the physical and thermal properties was improved more than three times by the addition of HCO. The biodegradability test in soil revealed that the prepared biodegradable materials were degraded by about 6.0-20% after 90 days.