Novel compatibilizers and plasticizers developed from epoxidized and maleinized chia oil in composites based on PLA and chia seed flour

• DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2022.111289
• Publication Date: 2022-05-21T14:50:25Z
• Authors: Ivan Dominguez-Ca...; Jaume Gomez-Caturla; S.C. Cardona; Jaime Lora-García; Vicent Fombuena
• Keywords: Maleinized chia seed oil; 0205 materials engineering; Compatibilizer; Chia seed flour; 02 engineering and technology; Epoxidized chia seed oil; 0210 nano-technology; INGENIERIA QUIMICA; Poly(lactic acid) (PLA)

This research work was funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation-¿Retos de la Sociedad¿. Project references: PID2020-119142RA-I00. I. Dominguez-Candela wants to thank Universitat Politècnica de València for his FPI grant (PAID-2019-SP20190013) and Generalitat Valenciana-GVA (ACIF/2020/233). J. Gomez-Caturla wants to thank Generalitat Valenciana-GVA, for his FPI grant (ACIF/2021/185) and grant FPU20/01732 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/ 501100011033.<br/>[EN] Novel compatibilizers and plasticizers derived from epoxidized chia seed oil (ECO) and maleinized chia seed oil (MCO) have been applied in composites based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and 15 wt% chia seed flour (CSF). Results obtained have been compared to conventional silane coupling agent, (3-glycidyloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane (GPS), and a petroleum-based compatibilizer, poly(styrene-co-glycidyl methacrylate) copolymer (Xibond, (R)). The compatibilization effect of green composites were assessed by FTIR. The addition of all four compatibilizers improved the ductile mechanical and thermal properties of the composites. The morphology analysis revealed an improvement of interfacial adhesion of the CSF particles into the PLA matrix. In particular, ECO and MCO composites showed a roughness with long filaments in their morphology which plays a crucial role in improving the ductile properties highly. The elongation at break was 10 and 8 times higher using ECO and MCO, respectively, compared to uncompatibilized composite. Moreover, the composites manufactured showed low values (<9%) in the water uptake assay and a negligible compostability delay. The use of novel compatibilizers based on modified vegetable oils could mean an interesting proposal to obtain an entirely environmentally friendly composite with a remarkable ductile property.<br/>