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Abstract
Polylactic acid (PLA) is a thermoplastic derived from renewable resources, which degrades to nontoxic compounds in landfills. With current advances in the field of nanotechnology, development of layered silicate-based PLA nanocomposites successfully created a sustainable material with enhanced physical, thermal and chemical properties, holding the future as an alternative to petroleum-based materials. However, the toughness of PLA in its pristine state and nanocomposites is often insufficient. As such, there has been tremendous effort in developing ways to improve this with incorporation of plasticizers and impact modifiers. In this review, we summarize approaches in toughening of PLA and its nanocomposites.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to thank the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), Malaysia for an E-Science Grant (No. 79162). A line of appreciation to MOSTI, Malaysia for the award of the National Science Fellowship (NSF) scholarship for Harintharavimal Balakrishnan.