Design of Bioplastics Based Films By Solvent Casting

There is an urgent need for novel materials design solutions which can potentially replace fossil fuel derived plastics. In this presentation, I will report some of the current research which is being done in my research group on bioplastics. More particularly, I will focus on renewable and biodegradable bioplastics derived from plant- and bacteria-based feed stock. As a part of this study, I will review some of the research being done on Poly Lactic Acid (PLA), Poly Hydroxyalkanoate (PHA), Cellulose Acetate (CA), and lignin based compositions. Different types of processing techniques drop-on-demand, Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), and Solvent Casting will be reviewed. The microstructure, thermal, and mechanical behavior of different types of blends will be reported. In addition, the effect of different particulates like ternary laminates (MAX Phases) and/or phase separation of the blend on thermo-mechanical behavior will be explained. It is hypothesized that these materials can be used for active packaging applications.