Polylactic Acid and Its Blends for Biomedical Applications
摘要
Polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the biopolymers that emphasized interest with the entry of biopolymers into our lives, and its increasingly widespread use in recent years is principally ascribed to its facilitated processability, high mechanical properties, degradability, and biocompatibility properties. The use of PLA in blend form is a suitable option to generate new properties according to the targeted use field taking into account the drawbacks of pure PLA, including weak impact toughness, hydrophobicity, and a degradation amount, which is slow. PLA can be mixed with other polymers by various methods such as extrusion, internal mixing, electrospinning, or solvent casting to obtain the desired final properties. Among the biomedical applications, PLA-based blends are major candidates for tissue engineering, implants, drug delivery, and wound management and stent.