Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I want to do a science experiment on how polylactic acid (the most common material used to make bioplastic). I want to improve the efficiency of how this acid is broken down. It can only be broken down at temperatures greater than 140 degrees Fahrenheit and when exposed to relative humidity of 90 percent or more for approximately 60 to 90 days. So it can only be broken down in industrial composting facilities and not in landfills where most bioplastics end up. This makes the bioplastic biodegradeable but not efficient. How can you decrease the melting point of acids or make them be broken down more efficiently? Is this possible or is this experiment a dead end?

Have you looked into the effect of chain length on the thermal breakdown? Breaking of the ester bonds between the monomers seems to require water, so making the the bonds more accessible to water might help. Since the chain length of polymers in hydrocarbons has a significant effect on the melting points of oils and fats, limiting the net intermolecular forces between the linear polymers of PLA might also weaken the bulk polymer