Thermal Degradation Behavior of Poly(Lactic Acid) in a Blend with Polyethylene

Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) is a candidate for feedstock recycling materials, because it easily depolymerizes back into the cyclic monomer, L,L-lactide. To examine the recycling of PLLA from blends with other kinds of polymers, a polymer blend of PLLA and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) was prepared and thermally degraded with a degradation catalyst: magnesium oxide (MgO) in a thermogravimeter/differential thermal analyzer (TG/DTA) and pyrolysis-gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (Py-GC/MS). To clarify the influence of the LLDPE ingredient in the blend, the thermal degradation data were analyzed kinetically using two simulation methods: integration and random degradation analytical methods. From the results, it was found that PLLA was effectively depolymerized in the presence of MgO into L,L-lactide with a low racemization ratio and that LLDPE had no effect on the feedstock recycling of PLLA.