PLA/PMMA Reactive Blending in the Presence of MgO as an Exchange Reaction Catalyst

• DOI: 10.3390/polym17070845
• Publication Date: 2025-03-21T15:06:48Z
• Authors: Masoud Komeijani; Naeimeh Bahri-Laleh; Zohreh Mirjafary; Massimo Christian...; Morteza Rouhani; Hossein Sakhaeinia; Amin Hedayati Mog...; Seyed Amin Mirmoh...; Albert Poater

To address the limitations of poly (lactic acid) (PLA), it was blended with (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as a toughening component, using MgO nanoparticles (NPs, 0.075-0.15 wt%) catalyst. SEM pictures confirmed good miscibility blends. Mechanical tests showed slight decrease in elastic modulus and tensile strength for PLA/PMMA125 sample containing 0.125% MgO. Yet, elongation at break rose by over 60% impact increased 400% compared to pure PLA. Also, facilitated shifting glass transition temperature (Tg) both polymers DSC curves. Additionally, absence cold crystallization PLA, coupled reductions its melting (Tm) crystallinity, were identified critical factors contributing improved within reactive blend. Melt flow index (MFI) evaluation indicated viscosity, while water contact angle measurements revealed an increase polar groups on surfaces MgO-containing samples. X-ray diffraction (XRD) transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses effective distribution dispersion NPs throughout blend, along significant crystallinity. Moreover, DFT calculations performed better understand role reaction. The findings offered key insights into reaction mechanism, confirming that plays crucial facilitating transesterification between PLA PMMA. These underscore enhanced performance exchange reactions active presence MgO, leading formation PLA-PMMA copolymers superior mechanical properties. Finally, cell culture assay blend's non-toxicity, showing versatile potential.