PBAT/PLA/cellulose nanocrystals biocomposites compatibilized with polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride (PE‐g‐MA)

Abstract The use of biodegradable polymers has grown exponentially due to their lower environmental impact when compared to conventional polymers. In this sense, biocomposites are an alternative due to their promising properties, maintaining biodegradability. For this purpose, in the present study, a biodegradable biocomposite of PBAT (poly [butylene adipate co‐terephthalate]) and PLA (polylactide) blend containing cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were obtained, using polyethylene grafted with maleic anhydride (PE‐g‐MA) as a coupling agent. Seven formulations were produced by extrusion and had their structure, morphology, thermal, and rheological properties analyzed. The results showed a significant improvement of adhesion among the components using PE‐g‐MA as a coupling agent. Moreover, CNC and PE‐g‐MA increased the PLA crystallinity degree and reduced the complex viscosity. These results are unprecedented in the literature using these compositions and extrusion processing conditions. Therefore, these new insights provide a vast horizon for the use of biodegradable mixtures using PBAT/PLA and CNC.