This study introduces systematic and comparative investigations of various PLA fine fiber mats prepared by melt blowing. A series of PLLA and PDLA melt-blown fibers from various L and D enantiomers blends were produced. Their morphological, mechanical, and thermal properties were studied, and their decomposition in water and compost was investigated. It was found that the 1:1 ratio blend with stereocomplex crystals had an 80% lower average fiber diameter, 60% higher specific strength and better thermal stability than the PLLA and PDLA fiber mats. In the case of composting, the crystalline peak melting temperature, crystallinity, and thermogravimetric decomposition temperatures marginally decreased after 14 days. The high surface of the fine fiber mats played a crucial role in fast decomposition, as they entirely disintegrated in less than only 40 days. In the case of water, the homocrystalline domains were more susceptible to hydrolysis than the stereocomplex ones. All the PLA fiber mats underwent decomposition and extensive disintegration for 70 days in water. Hydrolysis reduced the amorphous and crystalline fraction of the fibers via surface and bulk erosion, while the decomposition of stereocomplex-crystalline-rich domains mainly exhibited surface erosion. Findings revealed that high porosity and the high surface area of PLA melt-blown fine fiber mats undergo fast decomposition in compost and in water.
Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10924-022-02694-w.
Keywords: PLA; composting; decomposition; fiber mat; hydrolysis; melt blowing; stereocomplexation.
© The Author(s) 2022.