Development of poly(lactic acid)/ethylene-propylene-diene monomer/cellulose composites using cellulose extracted from hemp biomass for plastic packaging applications

Poly(lactic acid)/ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM)/cellulose composites using cellulose derived from hemp biomass (CHB) were investigated in this research. Morphology, chemical structures, functional groups, and crystallinity of CHB were characterized, observing a size of 135 ± 32 μm from SEM images with high purity and crystallinity from FT-IR and XRD spectroscopy. The optimized CHB was incorporated at 1 phr, 3 phr, and 5 phr into PLA/EPDM blends at 90/10 w/w. The polymer composites were prepared using an internal mixer, and samples were produced by compression molding for mechanical and thermal testing. The results indicated that the EPDM phase dispersed as droplets in the PLA matrix, resulting in more break elongation in the polymer blends from 3% to 9%. The CHB was not homogeneously distributed, with prominent particles observed in the matrix. Nevertheless, CHB enhanced Young's modulus, tensile strength, and stress at break, particularly in the 1 phr composites, which was identified as the optimal condition. The stress-strain curve shows the rigid shape of the neat material transforming to yield a point. For transparency, it shows that the EPDM and CHB mix resists UV and the visible range. Ultimately, the PLA/EPDM/CHB composites demonstrated improved properties suitable for plastic packaging applications.