Abstract
AbstractBiodegradable polyglycolic acid (PGA) shows great potential to substitute engineering petrochemical‐based polymers because of its high mechanical strength, stiffness, and gas barrier. However, drawbacks such as low melt strength, poor thermal stability, and rapid degradation limited its practical applications. In this paper, PGA was modified by reactive extrusion using chain extender (CE) and anti‐hydrolysis agent (AHA). The effects of the modification on the flow properties, melt viscosity and long‐term hydrolysis behaviors of PGA were studied. Compared with the unmodified but one‐pass processed PGA (C‐PGA), the melt mass flow rate of modified PGA (M‐PGA) decreased, while the complex viscosity (ω = 0.1 rad/s) dramatically increased, attributable to the realization of effective chain extension. The accelerated hydrolysis aging test indicated that the hydrolysis rate constant of C‐PGA at 30°C was 0.06183 day−1, and that of M‐PGA was 0.01332 day−1, which exhibited a 78% reduction. Correspondingly, the service life of M‐PGA was significantly prolonged. This may expand the potential applications of PGA, such as packaging film, agriculture, or textiles.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
