Additive for performance enhancement of PLA articles

1. An additive for a PLA article consisting of:

at least one acrylic impact modifier between 10 and 80 weight % of the total weight of the additive; and

at least one ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) having between 12 and 40 weight % vinyl acetate, the EVA between 5 and 50 weight % of the additive;

and at least one PLA carrier resin between 5 and 50 weight % of the total weight of the additive; and optionally a dye, pigment, or coloring agent.

2. An additive for a PLA article consisting of:

at least one polylactic acid polymer (PLA) between 10 and 40 weight % of the total weight of the additive;

at least one acrylic impact modifier between 10 and 80 weight % of the total weight of the additive; and

at least one ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) having between 12 and 40 weight % vinyl acetate, the ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer between 10 and 20 weight % of the additive; and optionally a dye, pigment, or coloring agent.

3. The additive of claim 2 wherein the additive does not include a dye, pigment or coloring agent.

4. A polylactic acid polymer (PLA) sheet, the sheet consisting of:

at least one PLA between 90 and 99 weight % of the total weight of the sheet; and

an additive between 1 and 10 weight % of the total weight of the sheet, the additive consisting of:

at least one acrylic impact modifier between 10 and 80 weight % of the total weight of the additive; and

at least one ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) having between 12 and 40 wt. % vinyl acetate, the EVA between 10 and 50 weight % of the additive;

at least one PLA carrier resin between 10 and 50 weight % of the additive; and

optionally a dye, pigment, or coloring agent.

5. The sheet of claim 4 wherein the additive includes a dye, pigment or coloring agent.

6. The sheet of claim 4 having an impact resistance with a Gardner Impact value between 3 and 50 in-lbs.

7. The sheet of claim 6 , wherein the impact resistance has a Gardner Impact value of 5 in-lbs or more.

8. The sheet of claim 4 having a clarity with a Haze percent value of less than 35%.

9. The sheet of claim 8 wherein the clarity has a Haze percent value of between 30 and 60% when the vinyl acetate is less than 25 weight % of the at least one ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer.

10. The sheet of claim 8 wherein the clarity has a Haze percent value of less than 30% when the vinyl acetate is 25 weight % or greater of the at least one ethylene copolymer.

11. A polylactic acid polymer (PLA) sheet, the sheet consisting of:

at least one PLA between 90 and 98 weight % of the total weight of the sheet; and

an additive between 2 and 10 weight % of the total weight of the sheet, the additive comprising:

at least one acrylic impact modifier between 10 and 90 weight % of the total weight of the additive;

at least one ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) having vinyl acetate content between 12 and 40 weight % of the copolymer, the EVA between 5 and 50 weight % of the additive;

at least one PLA carrier resin between 5 and 50 weight % of the additive; and

optionally a dye, pigment, or coloring agent.

12. The sheet of claim 11 , wherein the additive does not include a dye, pigment or coloring agent.

13. The sheet of claim 11 wherein the additive further includes a dye, pigment or coloring agent.

14. The sheet of claim 11 having an impact resistance with a Gardner Impact value between 3 and 50 in-lbs.

15. The sheet of claim 14 wherein the impact resistance has a Gardner Impact value of 5 in-lbs or more.

16. The sheet of claim 11 having a clarity with a Haze percent value of less than 60%.

17. The sheet of claim 16 wherein the clarity has a Haze percent value between 30 and 60% when the vinyl acetate is less than 25 weight % of the at least one ethylene copolymer.

18. The sheet of claim 16 wherein the clarity has a Haze percent value of less than 30% when the vinyl acetate is 25 weight % or greater of the at least one EVA.

19. A polylactic acid polymer (PLA) sheet, the sheet consisting of:

at least one PLA between 90 and 98 weight % of the total weight of the sheet;

at least one acrylic impact modifier between 1.5 and 2.5 weight % of the total weight of the sheet;

at least one ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer having-vinyl acetate content between 12 and 40 weight %, the ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer being between 0.2 and 0.3 weight % of the sheet; and

optionally a dye, pigment, or coloring agent.

20. The sheet of claim 19 wherein the sheet further includes a dye, pigment or coloring agent.

21. The sheet of claim 19 having an impact resistance with a Gardner Impact value between 3 and 50 in-lbs.

22. The sheet of claim 21 , wherein the impact resistance has a Gardner Impact value of 5 in-lbs or more.

23. The sheet of claim 19 having a clarity with a Haze percent value of less than 35%.

24. The sheet of claim 23 wherein the clarity has a Haze percent value of less than 30% when the vinyl acetate is 25 weight % or greater of the at least one EVA.

25. The sheet of claim 19 , wherein the sheet has a gauge of 40 mils.

26. A polylactic acid polymer (PLA) sheet, the sheet-comprising:

at least one PLA between 90 and 98 weight % of the total weight of the sheet; and

the additive of claim 1 , the additive being present in an amount between 2 and 10 weight % of the total weight of the sheet.