A generalizable reactive blending strategy to construct flame-retardant, mechanically-strong and toughened poly(L-lactic acid) bioplastics

Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA) is an environmentally-friendly bioplastic with high mechanical strength, but suffers from inherent flammability and poor toughness. Many tougheners have been reported for PLA, but their synthesis usually involves organic solvents, and they tend to dramatically reduce the mechanical strength and cannot settle the flammability matter. Herein, we develop strong, tough, and flame-retardant PLA composites by reactive blending PLA, 6-((double (2-hydroxyethyl) amino) methyl) dibenzo [c, e] [1,2] oxyphosphate acid 6-oxide (DHDP) and diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and define it PLA/xGH, where x indicates that the molar ratio of -NCO group in MDI to -OH group in PLA and DHDP is 1.0x: 1. This fabrication requires no solvents. PLA/2GH with a -NCO/-OH molar ratio of 1.02: 1 maintains high tensile strength of 63.0 MPa and achieves a 23.4 % increase in impact strength compared to PLA due to the incorporation of rigid polyurethane chain segment. The vertical combustion (UL-94) classification and limiting oxygen index (LOI) of PLA/2GH reaches V-0 and 29.8 %, respectively, because DHDP and MDI function in gas and condensed phases. This study displays a generalizable strategy to create flame-retardant bioplastics with great mechanical performances by the in-situ formation of P/N-containing polyurethane segment within PLA.