Further evidence of polylactide degradation in paraffin and in selected protic media. A thermal analysis of eroded polylactide films

The degradation process promotes physical and chemical changes in material properties, which can be characterised using thermal analysis techniques. The degree of polylactide film degradation in paraffin, glycerine and propylene glycol (as the thermal properties, crystallinity, thermal stability and decomposition kinetics changes) of the film during degradation at 70 °C, was investigated using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The changes in the thermal properties, crystallinity and thermal stability of the films during degradation indicate morphological and structural transformations, which result in the deterioration of the material properties for all of the investigated degradation media.