Investigation of the Effects and Optimization Mechanisms of Taxus Powder on Poly(Butylene Adipate‐ co ‐Terephthalate)/Polylactic Acid Blend Properties

In this study, micron‐sized Taxus powder (TP) was prepared by fine grinding using Taxol‐extracted Taxus residue as the raw material, and poly(butylene adipate‐ co ‐terephthalate) (PBAT)/polylactic acid (PLA)/TP bio‐based composites were subsequently fabricated via melt blending. The influence of TP on the rheological, mechanical, thermal, and functional properties of PBAT/PLA blends was systematically investigated. The results show that TP improves melt‐processing behavior and modifies the thermal degradation characteristics of the blends. At low to moderate TP loadings, the elongation at break remains above 200%, while higher TP contents lead to a progressive decline in mechanical performance. Notably, the incorporation of TP induces a gradual transition from hydrophobic to hydrophilic surface behavior, as reflected by a decreasing water contact angle, and significantly accelerates biodegradation. TP also introduces mild but measurable antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus . Furthermore, when combined with a nano zinc surface coating, the composites exhibit markedly enhanced antibacterial efficiency through a synergistic surface‐mediated effect. This work demonstrates the high‐value utilization of Taxus residue as a functional filler and provides an effective strategy for developing biodegradable polymer composites with tunable processing, environmental responsiveness, and antibacterial performance for packaging‐related applications.