title: Polylactide-based renewable composites from natural products residues by encapsulated film bag: characterization and biodegradability.
abstract: In the present study, the biodegradability, morphology, and mechanical properties of composite materials consisting of acrylic acid-grafted polylactide (PLA-g-AA) and natural products residues (corn starch, CS) were evaluated. Composites containing acrylic acid-grafted PLA (PLA-g-AA/CS) exhibited noticeably superior mechanical properties due to their greater compatibility with CS compared with PLA/CS. The feasibility of using PLA-g-AA/CS as a film bag material to facilitate the controlled release of an encapsulated phosphate-solubilizing bacterium (PSB) Burkholderia cepacia as a fertilizer use promoter was then evaluated. For purposes of comparison and accurate characterization, a PLA film bag was also assessed. The results showed that the bacterium completely degraded both the PLA and the PLA-g-AA/CS composite film bags, resulting in cell release. The PLA-g-AA/CS (20 wt%) film bags were more biodegradable than those made of PLA, and displayed a higher loss of molecular weight and intrinsic viscosity, indicating a strong connection between these characteristics and biodegradability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Kao Yuan University, Kaohsiung County 82101, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chin-San
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001688:Biological Products / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002214:Capsules; D005308:Fertilizers; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D002214:Capsules; D005308:Fertilizers; D011091:Polyesters; C033616:poly(lactide)