Preparation and property testing of polymer blends of poly(lactic acid) and poly(butylene succinate) plasticised with long-chain fatty acids

This study investigates the influence of three fatty acids (lauric acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid) on biodegradable polymer blends based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), containing different weight ratios (100:0, 100:2, and 100:4) of fatty acids on the transparency, mechanical properties, morphology, contact angle, and water vapour permeability. All of the blends were pressed into thin films and tested. The experimental results showed that the properties of the samples varied with chain length and amounts of the fatty acids. Thus, it could be concluded that use of fatty acids opens up new ways for the plasticisation of PLA/PBS blends for use as new bioplastics.