Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-21-2025
Abstract
Polylactic acid (PLA)-based nanocomposites are emerging as multifunctional, biodegradable materials, offering sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics. This review examines recent advancements in PLA nanocomposites, focusing on enhanced mechanical strength, thermal stability, and biodegradability achieved through nanofillers like metallic particles, carbon-based materials, and ceramics. Techniques such as in situ polymerization, melt mixing, and electrospinning enable application-specific improvements. PLA's limitations, including brittleness and low barrier properties, are addressed to support diverse applications: in packaging (e.g., extended shelf life), biomedicine (e.g., degradable implants), and electronics (e.g., flexible devices). Despite challenges with filler dispersion and thermal resistance, continued innovations expand PLA's potential across multiple industries, contributing to a sustainable, circular economy.
Keywords
biodegradable polymers, multifunctional nanocomposites, nanocomposite manufacturing, nanocomposites, polylactic acid (PLA), sustainability
Language
English
Publication Title
Composites Part B Engineering
Grant
ECCS-2024649
Rights
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an Open Access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Islam, M. S., Elahee, G. F., Fang, Y., Yu, X. B., Advincula, R. C., & Cao, C. C. (2025). Polylactic acid (PLA)-based multifunctional and biodegradable nanocomposites and their applications. Composites Part B: Engineering, 112842. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112842
Manuscript Version
Final Publisher Version