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Synthesis of Block Copolymers Through Melt Polymerization for Compatibilizing PLA/PBAT Blends.

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Title: Synthesis of Block Copolymers Through Melt Polymerization for Compatibilizing PLA/PBAT Blends.
Authors: Kwon, Mi Kyung1 (AUTHOR), Lee, Young Jae1 (AUTHOR), Lee, Se Geun1 (AUTHOR), Kim, Sang Gu2 (AUTHOR), Lee, Sung Jun1 (AUTHOR) schrisj@dgist.ac.kr
Source: Journal of Polymers & the Environment. Dec2025, Vol. 33 Issue 12, p5163-5179. 17p.
Subject Terms: *Block copolymers, *Polymerization, *Biodegradation, *Tensile strength, *Reactive extrusion, *Crystallization, *Polymer melting
Abstract: Block copolymers, unlike reactive compatibilizers, can stably localize at the interface without reducing biodegradation rate, making them attractive compatibilizers for PLA/PBAT blends. For industrial use, they should be synthesized from commercial PBAT by melt polymerization to lower costs. However, melt polymerization is exposed to ambient moisture, leading to concurrent formation of PLA homopolymer. In this study, PLA–PBAT block copolymers were synthesized by both solution and melt polymerization with different lactide feed ratios. Melt polymerization was performed in an internal mixer as a precursor to reactive extrusion. Products were characterized by NMR, FT-IR, GPC, DSC, and TGA, and performance in blends was evaluated using DSC, SEM, and UTM. Melt samples displayed two cold crystallization peaks. The high-temperature peak corresponded to PLA homopolymer and became more pronounced with increasing lactide feed ratio. This suggests that excess lactide was consumed in homopolymerization. The presence of PLA homopolymer was more clearly observed in DTA than in GPC. In blends, melt samples improved tensile strength gradually with increasing lactide ratio, whereas solution samples showed the highest strength at a 1:1 PBAT-to-lactide ratio. At the ratio, the blend with solution samples exhibited higher tensile strength than that with melt samples. However, this difference was mitigated when melt samples with higher lactide ratios were incorporated at contents of 5 phr or less. The pristine blend formed metastable α′ crystals, while melt-sample-containing blends exhibited both α and α′ structures, with the α form becoming more dominant at higher lactide ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Database: Energy & Power Source
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Header DbId: enr
DbLabel: Energy & Power Source
An: 189910292
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
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Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Synthesis of Block Copolymers Through Melt Polymerization for Compatibilizing PLA/PBAT Blends.
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  Label: Authors
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kwon%2C+Mi+Kyung%22">Kwon, Mi Kyung</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lee%2C+Young+Jae%22">Lee, Young Jae</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lee%2C+Se+Geun%22">Lee, Se Geun</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kim%2C+Sang+Gu%22">Kim, Sang Gu</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lee%2C+Sung+Jun%22">Lee, Sung Jun</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> schrisj@dgist.ac.kr</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Polymers+%26+the+Environment%22">Journal of Polymers & the Environment</searchLink>. Dec2025, Vol. 33 Issue 12, p5163-5179. 17p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Block+copolymers%22">Block copolymers</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Polymerization%22">Polymerization</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biodegradation%22">Biodegradation</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tensile+strength%22">Tensile strength</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reactive+extrusion%22">Reactive extrusion</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Crystallization%22">Crystallization</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Polymer+melting%22">Polymer melting</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Block copolymers, unlike reactive compatibilizers, can stably localize at the interface without reducing biodegradation rate, making them attractive compatibilizers for PLA/PBAT blends. For industrial use, they should be synthesized from commercial PBAT by melt polymerization to lower costs. However, melt polymerization is exposed to ambient moisture, leading to concurrent formation of PLA homopolymer. In this study, PLA–PBAT block copolymers were synthesized by both solution and melt polymerization with different lactide feed ratios. Melt polymerization was performed in an internal mixer as a precursor to reactive extrusion. Products were characterized by NMR, FT-IR, GPC, DSC, and TGA, and performance in blends was evaluated using DSC, SEM, and UTM. Melt samples displayed two cold crystallization peaks. The high-temperature peak corresponded to PLA homopolymer and became more pronounced with increasing lactide feed ratio. This suggests that excess lactide was consumed in homopolymerization. The presence of PLA homopolymer was more clearly observed in DTA than in GPC. In blends, melt samples improved tensile strength gradually with increasing lactide ratio, whereas solution samples showed the highest strength at a 1:1 PBAT-to-lactide ratio. At the ratio, the blend with solution samples exhibited higher tensile strength than that with melt samples. However, this difference was mitigated when melt samples with higher lactide ratios were incorporated at contents of 5 phr or less. The pristine blend formed metastable α′ crystals, while melt-sample-containing blends exhibited both α and α′ structures, with the α form becoming more dominant at higher lactide ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s10924-025-03692-4
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 17
        StartPage: 5163
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Block copolymers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Polymerization
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Biodegradation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Tensile strength
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reactive extrusion
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Crystallization
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Polymer melting
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Synthesis of Block Copolymers Through Melt Polymerization for Compatibilizing PLA/PBAT Blends.
        Type: main
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      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Kwon, Mi Kyung
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Lee, Young Jae
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Lee, Se Geun
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Kim, Sang Gu
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Lee, Sung Jun
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 12
              Text: Dec2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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              Value: 15662543
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              Value: 33
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              Value: 12
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Polymers & the Environment
              Type: main
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