Eco‐Friendly <scp>PLA</scp>/<scp>CAB</scp>/<scp>ADR</scp> Ternary Blended Films With Excellent Toughening and Gas Barrier Properties

ABSTRACT Polylactic acid (PLA) exhibits excellent biocompatibility and degradability. However, its high brittleness and poor gas barrier properties limit its broader application in the packaging industry. The study is the first to incorporate cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) and an epoxy‐based additive (ADR) into a PLA matrix, resulting in the development of ternary blended films using a biaxial stretching technique. A variety of characterization techniques are utilized to examine the thermal, rheological, gas barrier, and mechanical properties of the blended films. The addition of CAB effectively decreases the intermolecular interactions among PLA molecules, enhances segmental motion, and significantly increases the toughness of the films. Additionally, the epoxy groups in ADR chemically react with the functional groups of both PLA and CAB, improving compatibility, optimizing the film structure, reducing porosity, and greatly enhancing the gas barrier properties. The results indicate that the elongation at break and draw ratio of PLA/CAB/ADR films increased by 14% and 20%, respectively. Meanwhile, oxygen and water vapor transmission decreased by 31% and 27%, respectively. Additionally, the impact strength and thermal stability of the ternary blended films showed significant improvement. In summary, the eco‐friendly ternary blended films developed in the study hold substantial promise for use in packaging, offering strong support for the progress and development of eco‐friendly packaging materials.