Hydrolysis and Biodegradation of Poly(lactic acid)

This chapter reviews hydrolytic degradation and biodegradation of poly(lactic acid) (PLA). Hydrolytic degradation, which induces morphological and compositional changes, is considered the most important step in biodegradation. The main factors influencing hydrolytic degradation (temperature, pH, sample morphology, and molecular weight) are considered and analyzed. An overview of biodegradation under composting conditions is also given. The chapter also analyses the possibilities of modulating degradation and biodegradation rates according to the expected lifetime of objects made of PLA. This can be considered frontier research in this field.