Polylactides-Chemistry, Properties and Green Packaging Technology: A Review

Polylactide (PLA), a biodegradable aliphatic polyester, has been studied extensively for its wide applications in various fields from food packaging to interior materials for automobiles. One of PLA's advantages is that the raw material, lactic acid can be derived from renewable resources, which makes PLA very attractive for the packaging and considered as green packaging. Although, the cost of PLA is relatively higher compared to petroleum based packaging materials and it is predicted that the price will go down after commercial success of the process. This paper presents a review on polylactide with focus on its chemistry, synthesis, properties, and applications. Plasticization effect on PLA, sorption isotherm and mechanical properties of PLA based packaging materials have been discussed. PLA/layered organo nanocomposites exhibit significant improvement in mechanical, thermal, optical, and physicochemical properties over pure PLA. This review includes brief overview of PLA based nanocomposite, their mechanical properties, potential as packaging materials for industrial usage and their environmental implications.