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The aging behavior of degradable plastic polylactic acid under the interaction of environmental factors
Summary
Researchers used response surface methodology to study how temperature, light, and humidity interact to accelerate the aging and breakdown of polylactic acid, a common biodegradable plastic. The study found that humidity had the greatest effect on PLA degradation, followed by light and temperature. Evidence indicates that even biodegradable plastics can release microplastic particles as they age under environmental conditions, posing potential ecological concerns.
Microplastics leaching from aging biodegradable plastics pose potential environmental threats. This study used response surface methodology (RSM) to investigate the impact of temperature, light, and humidity on the aging characteristics of polylactic acid (PLA). Key evaluation metrics included the C/O ratio, functional groups, crystallinity, surface topography, and mechanical properties. Humidity was discovered to have the greatest effect on the ageing of PLA, followed by light and temperature. The interactions between temperature and light, as well as humidity and sunlight, significantly impact the aging of PLA. XPS analysis revealed PLA underwent aging due to the cleavage of the ester bond (O-C=O), resulting in the addition of C=O and C-O. The aging process of PLA was characterized by alterations in surface morphology and augmentation in crystallinity, resulting in a decline in both tensile strength and elongation. These findings might offer insights into the aging behavior of degradable plastics under diverse environmental conditions.
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