Open AccessBark polyflavonoids from Pinus radiata as functional building-blocks for polylactic acid (PLA)-based green composites
Author(s) -
Danny E. García,
J. C. Carrasco,
Juan P. Salazar,
Mónica A. Pérez,
Rodrigo A. Cancino,
Sebastián A. Riquelme
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
express polymer letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.695
H-Index - 72
ISSN - 1788-618X
DOI - 10.3144/expresspolymlett.2016.78
Subject(s) - polylactic acid , materials science , pinus radiata , composite material , bark (sound) , radiata , botany , polymer , ecology , biology , vigna
Polylactic acid (PLA) was melt-blended with Pinus radiata unmodified and modified (hydroxypropyled) bark polyflavonoids in order to use such polyphenolic building-blocks as functional additives for envisaged applications. Rheological, morphological, molecular, thermal, and flexural properties were studied. Polyflavonoids improved blend processability in terms of short-time mixing. Furthermore, hydroxypropylated polyflavonoids improve miscibility in binary and ternary blends. Blend-composition affects crystallization-, melting-, and glass transition-temperature of PLA, as well as thermal resistance, and flexural properties of the blends. Polyflavonoids induced PLA-crystallization, and polymer-chain decomposition. Modified and unmodified bark polyflavonoids from radiata pine can be used successfully in PLA-based green composites beyond the food-packaging applications. The high compatibility between PLA and hydroxypropyled polyflavonoids highlights the potential of such phenolic derivatives for PLA-based material design