Influence of glycerol and clove essential oil on the properties and biodegradability of poly(lactic acid)/poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) blends

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules

Publication Date

5-1-2025

Abstract

The public's awareness of the environmental impacts of petroleum-based plastics has increased. This study explores the potential of blending poly(lactic acid) (PLA) with poly(hydroxyalkanoate) (PHBV) to develop high-performance, eco-friendly alternatives for the plastic industry. This study examined the effects of 10 wt% glycerol (G) and 4 wt% clove essential oil (CO) on the chemical, morphological, thermal, and biodegradability properties of compositions made of PLA60/PHBV40 (PLA60) and PLA80/PHBV20 (PLA80) blends. The Fourier Transform Infrared analysis revealed that glycerol and clove essential oil form hydrogen bonds with the polymer matrix in blends with higher PHBV content, enhancing polymer compatibility and miscibility. This was supported by Scanning Electron Microscopy observations where PLA60-G-CO exhibited a more cohesive single-layer morphology compared to PLA80-G-CO, which retained some lamination. These interactions were evident in thermal analysis, with an increased degree of crystallinity of PLA (XcPLA) in PLA60-G (29 %) and PLA60-G-CO (30 %), while PLA80-G-CO showed a significantly reduced XcPLA (4 %) due to disrupted structure. Additionally, the degradation temperature of PLA60-G-CO was enhanced, while PLA80-G-CO exhibited reduced thermal stability. Biodegradability studies showed that clove essential oil suppressed microbial activity and delayed degradation in both blend formulations, highlighting the synergistic role of glycerol and clove oil in enhancing stability and durability for advanced biodegradable food packaging. This research emphasizes the significance of bio-based polymer blends in achieving sustainable packaging solutions.

ISSN

0141-8130

Publisher

Elsevier BV

Volume

308

Disciplines

Engineering

Keywords

Biodegradability, Clove essential oil, Glycerol, Hydrogen bonds, PHBV, PLA, Polymers blend

Scopus ID

05001565182

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

no

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS