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(Bio)degradable Biochar Composites of PLA/P(3HB-co-4HB) Commercial Blend for Sustainable Future—Study on Degradation and Electrostatic Properties
Summary
Researchers studied biodegradable polymer composites made from PLA and P(3HB-co-4HB) blended with biochar as a natural filler. The study found that adding biochar improved electrostatic properties and influenced degradation behavior, suggesting these composites could serve as more sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics while reducing microplastic generation.
Interesting alternatives to expensive biodegradable polymers are their composites with natural fillers. The addition of biochar to a blend of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) was studied, and the resulting materials were evaluated for their properties and changes during degradation. Introducing biochar as a filler brought a noticeable improvement in electrostatic properties. Surface resistivity decreased from 3.80 × 1012 for the sample without biochar to 1.32 × 1012 for the sample with 30% filler content. Degradation tests revealed distinct differences in the degradation profile for composites due to the presence of filler. Composites with a lower biochar content displayed curling crack edges during hydrolytic degradation, and when the filler content reached 20 wt%, PLA loss accelerated. This study suggests that biochar-based composites have potential to be used as sustainable materials with improved properties.
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