TY - JOUR
T1 - Preparation and Characterization of Films Extruded of Polyethylene/Chitosan Modified with Poly(lactic acid)
AU - Quiroz-Castillo, Jesús Manuel
AU - Rodríguez-Félix, Dora Evelia
AU - Grijalva-Monteverde, Heriberto
AU - Lizárraga-Laborín, Lauren Lucero
AU - Castillo-Ortega, María Mónica
AU - del Castillo-Castro, Teresa
AU - Rodríguez-Félix, Francisco
AU - Herrera-Franco, Pedro Jesús
PY - 2015/1/1
Y1 - 2015/1/1
N2 - © 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. The use of mixtures of synthetic and natural polymers is a potential option to reduce the pollution by plastic waste. In this work, the method for the chemical modification of chitosan with poly(lactic acid) was developed; then, the preparation of films of blends of polyethylene and chitosan-poly(lactic acid) produced by an extrusion method using polyethylene-graft maleic anhydride as a compatibilizer. It was possible to obtain films with a maximum content of 20 wt% and 30 wt%, chitosan, with and without compatibilizer, respectively. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis showed a homogeneous surface on all films. The addition of the compatibilizer had a significant effect on the mechanical properties of the films, such as an increase in Young's modulus and a decrease in the elongation at break; additionally, the compatibilizer promotes thermal degradation in a single step and gives the film a slight increase in thermal resistance. These results are attributed to an improved interaction in the interface of polyethylene and chitosan-poly(lactic acid), promoted by the compatibilizer.
AB - © 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. The use of mixtures of synthetic and natural polymers is a potential option to reduce the pollution by plastic waste. In this work, the method for the chemical modification of chitosan with poly(lactic acid) was developed; then, the preparation of films of blends of polyethylene and chitosan-poly(lactic acid) produced by an extrusion method using polyethylene-graft maleic anhydride as a compatibilizer. It was possible to obtain films with a maximum content of 20 wt% and 30 wt%, chitosan, with and without compatibilizer, respectively. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis showed a homogeneous surface on all films. The addition of the compatibilizer had a significant effect on the mechanical properties of the films, such as an increase in Young's modulus and a decrease in the elongation at break; additionally, the compatibilizer promotes thermal degradation in a single step and gives the film a slight increase in thermal resistance. These results are attributed to an improved interaction in the interface of polyethylene and chitosan-poly(lactic acid), promoted by the compatibilizer.
U2 - 10.3390/ma8010137
DO - 10.3390/ma8010137
M3 - Article
SP - 137
EP - 148
JO - Materials
JF - Materials
SN - 1996-1944
ER -