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Biodegradation Behavior and Life Cycle Assessment of PLA/PHBV/Carbonaceous Materials Hybrid Nanocomposites for Antimicrobial Multifunctional Packaging

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Abstract

Renewable multifunctional materials are crucial for advancing industries such as electronics and packaging. This study investigates the potential of graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) and multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) reinforcement in poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) blends for multifunctional packaging. Employing solvent-free techniques, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of morphological, thermal, mechanical, antimicrobial, and biodegradable properties. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM) was applied to evaluate the nanofiller morphologies and the immiscibility between PLA and PHBV, while differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) confirmed crystallinity changes induced by carbon nanomaterials. Mechanical tests demonstrated remarkable enhancements, notably a 30% increase in elastic modulus and 195% in ultimate tensile strength. Antimicrobial assays revealed exceptional effectiveness, especially in GNP-containing nanocomposites. Crucially, biodegradation tests highlighted compatibility with the blend. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) underscored significant eco-efficiency, minimizing harmful emissions. These findings emphasize the potential of MWCNT, GNP-reinforced PLA/PHBV nanocomposites for diverse applications and as eco-friendly alternatives to conventional plastics.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the financial support of CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, processes 407288/2021-0, 307933/2021-0) and FAPESP (Processes 2020/12501-8 and 2021/10136-3).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Science and Technology, Polymer and Biopolymer Technology Laboratory (TecPBio), Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), 330 Talim St., São José dos Campos, SP, 12231-280, Brazil

    Erick Gabriel Ribeiro dos Anjos, Tayra Rodrigues Brazil, Larissa Stieven Montagna, Guilherme Ferreira de Melo Morgado, Eduardo Ferreira Martins & Fabio Roberto Passador

  2. Graduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil

    Erick Gabriel Ribeiro dos Anjos, Luiz Antonio Pessan & Juliano Marini

  3. Department of Materials Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil

    Luiz Antonio Pessan, Francys Kley Vieira Moreira & Juliano Marini

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  1. Erick Gabriel Ribeiro dos Anjos
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Contributions

EGRA: conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, investigation, writing—original draft; LSM: validation, writing—review & editing; TRB: formal analysis; GFMM: formal analysis; EFM: formal analysis; LAP: validation; FKVM: formal analysis, validation, writing—review & editing; JM: validation, writing—review & editing; FRP: conceptualization, validation, resources, writing—review & editing, supervision.

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Correspondence to Juliano Marini.

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dos Anjos, E.G.R., Brazil, T.R., Montagna, L.S. et al. Biodegradation Behavior and Life Cycle Assessment of PLA/PHBV/Carbonaceous Materials Hybrid Nanocomposites for Antimicrobial Multifunctional Packaging. J Polym Environ (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-024-03286-6

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