Fuente: Journal of applied polymer Lugar: RESEARCH ARTICLE Three bioplastic compounds are engineered for car cover applications. A PLA-rich compound (SP) provides high strength for spunbond fabric. A PBS/PBAT blend (EC) offers extreme flexibility for extrusion coating. A PBS-rich compound (IM) delivers heat resistance and impact strength for injection-molded fixtures. Tailored formulations overcome the inherent limitations of each biopolymer, demonstrating a sustainable alternative to conventional multi-material systems.

ABSTRACT
The global shift towards sustainability demands high-performance, drop-in alternatives to petroleum-based plastics in large-volume industries. This study addresses this challenge in the framework of the multi-billion-dollar automotive protective cover market by engineering a novel system comprising three distinct bioplastic compounds. The compounds were tailored for specific conversion processes: a PLA-rich compound for spunbond nonwovens (SP), a PBS/PBAT-based compound for extrusion coating (EC), and a PBS-rich compound for injection molding (IM). Comprehensive characterization confirmed that strategic formulation successfully overcomes the inherent brittleness of PLA and enhances the flexibility of PBS/PBAT, yielding a synergistic portfolio. The SP compound achieved high tensile strength (41.89 MPa) and stiffness for a durable fabric; the EC compound exhibited exceptional toughness and flexibility (> 1000% elongation, with unnotched Izod specimens not breaking) for a crack-resistant coating; and the IM compound provided a balanced profile of impact strength (59.98 kJ/m2) and thermal resistance (HDT 76.0°C) for rigid fixtures. Rheological properties were precisely aligned with the demands of each processing technology. This work establishes a viable blueprint for replacing conventional multi-material systems with a fully integrated, high-performance and sustainable alternative based on engineered bioplastics, with future work focused on enhancing long-term weatherability.