title: Polylactide/Poly(ω-hydroxytetradecanoic acid) Reactive Blending: A Green Renewable Approach to Improving Polylactide Properties.
abstract: A green manufacturing technique, reactive extrusion (REx), was employed to improve the mechanical properties of polylactide (PLA). To achieve this goal, a fully biosourced PLA based polymer blend was conceived by incorporating small quantities of poly(ω-hydroxytetradecanoic acid) (PC14). PLA/PC14 blends were compatibilized by transesterification reactions promoted by 200 ppm titanium tetrabutoxide (Ti(OBu)4) during REx. REx for 15 min at 150 rpm and 200 °C resulted in enhanced blend mechanical properties while minimizing losses in PLA molecular weight. SEM analysis of the resulting compatibilized phase-separated blends showed good adhesion between dispersed PC14 phases within the continuous PLA phase. Direct evidence for in situ synthesis of PLA-b-PC14 copolymers was obtained by HMBC and HSQC NMR experiments. The size of the dispersed phase was tuned by the screw speed to "tailor" the blend morphology. In the presence of 200 ppm Ti(OBu)4, inclusion of only 5% PC14 increased the elongation at break of PLA from 3 to 140% with only a slight decrease in the tensile modulus (3200 to 2900 MPa). Furthermore, PLA's impact strength was increased by 2.4× that of neat PLA for 20% PC14 blends prepared by REx. Blends of PLA and PC14 are expected to expand the potential uses of PLA-based materials.
authors.affiliation: †Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 Eighth Street, Troy, New York 12180, United States.|‡Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering, 6 Metrotech Center, Brooklyn, New York 11201, United States.|§Centre d'Innovation et de Recherche en MAtériaux Polymères CIRMAP, Service des Matériaux Polymères et Composites, University of Mons, Place du Parc 23, B-7000 Mons, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spinella
authors.affiliation: ‡Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering, 6 Metrotech Center, Brooklyn, New York 11201, United States.
authors.forename: Jiali
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: §Centre d'Innovation et de Recherche en MAtériaux Polymères CIRMAP, Service des Matériaux Polymères et Composites, University of Mons, Place du Parc 23, B-7000 Mons, Belgium.
authors.forename: Cedric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Samuel
authors.affiliation: †Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 Eighth Street, Troy, New York 12180, United States.|‡Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering, 6 Metrotech Center, Brooklyn, New York 11201, United States.
authors.forename: Jianhui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: †Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 Eighth Street, Troy, New York 12180, United States.
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: McCallum
authors.affiliation: §Centre d'Innovation et de Recherche en MAtériaux Polymères CIRMAP, Service des Matériaux Polymères et Composites, University of Mons, Place du Parc 23, B-7000 Mons, Belgium.
authors.forename: Youssef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Habibi
authors.affiliation: §Centre d'Innovation et de Recherche en MAtériaux Polymères CIRMAP, Service des Matériaux Polymères et Composites, University of Mons, Place du Parc 23, B-7000 Mons, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Marie
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Raquez
authors.affiliation: §Centre d'Innovation et de Recherche en MAtériaux Polymères CIRMAP, Service des Matériaux Polymères et Composites, University of Mons, Place du Parc 23, B-7000 Mons, Belgium.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dubois
authors.affiliation: †Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 Eighth Street, Troy, New York 12180, United States.
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Gross
mesh_terms: D000440:Butanols / Q000737:chemistry; D055772:Green Chemistry Technology / Q000379:methods*; D009227:Myristic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D058105:Polymerization
chemical_list: D000440:Butanols; D009227:Myristic Acids; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011091:Polyesters; C033616:poly(lactide); C060171:tetrabutoxy titanium