The diminishing fossil resources an

The diminishing fossil resources and the consequently increasingly
higher costs have generated numerous initiatives aimed at
replacing these sources by renewable ones. Poly (lactic acid) (PLA)
is a biodegradable, thermoplastic polymer, available from annually
renewable sources and thus, an ideal candidate to replace some
petroleum derivatives [1e3]. In the last years, PLA and their
copolymers have become materials of large interest in biomedical
and pharmaceutical applications [4]. Additionally, PLA can be used
in packaging applications due to its processability by standard melt
processes such as injection molding, film blowing or melt spinning
[5e7].