Film Blowing of Biobased Biodegradable Polyesters: Poly (Pentylene Adipate‐co‐Terephthalate) and Poly (Dodecylene Furanoate)

ABSTRACT Poly(pentylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PPeAT), poly (dodecylene furanoate) (PDDF), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), and linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE) films were prepared using film blowing. Machine direction (MD) and transverse direction (TD) properties of the blown films (BFs) are compared to the properties of compression molded sheets (CMSs). For all polymers, Young's modulus, stress at break elongation at break and storage modulus are higher for the CMSs vs. BFs. PPeAT films have a higher modulus than PBAT films demonstrating its superior mechanical properties. X‐ray scattering shows that CMSs have higher percent crystallinity, longer d‐spacing, and larger crystal size compared with BFs. For BFs, SAXS measurements have more intensity in the MD vs. the TD while the d‐spacing is slightly higher for the MD; however, WAXS results indicate that films in the TD have higher percent crystallinity than in the MD. CMSs exhibit lower oxygen permeability, carbon dioxide permeability, and normalized water vapor transmission rates compared with BFs consistent with the higher crystallinity. Biobased, biodegradable PPeAT and PDDF show lower oxygen and carbon dioxide permeabilities compared with fossil fuel‐based PBAT and LLDPE and lower water vapor transmission rates than PBAT. PPeAT and PDDF BFs show promising results and eventually might be used as a drop‐in replacement for LLDPE in flexible film packaging.