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Morphology and enzymatic degradation of thermoplastic starch–polycaprolactone blends
Author(s) -
Vikman M.,
Hulleman S. H. D.,
Van Der Zee M.,
Myllärinen P.,
Feil H.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4628(19991209)74:11<2594::aid-app5>3.0.co;2-r
Subject(s) - polycaprolactone , thermoplastic , starch , materials science , hydrolysis , compression molding , glycerol , polymer blend , hydrolytic degradation , aspergillus niger , enzymatic hydrolysis , composite material , chemical engineering , chemistry , polymer , organic chemistry , copolymer , food science , mold , engineering
This study's aim was to evaluate the effect of processing conditions on the morphology and enzymatic degradation of 50/50 (w/w) thermoplastic starch–polycaprolactone blends. The blends, produced from native potato starch, glycerol, and polycaprolactone in a melt mixer using different mixing speeds and temperatures, were cocontinuous, and the blends were very homogeneous. Enzymatic hydrolysis was performed using Bacillus licheniformis alpha‐amylase and Aspergillus niger glucoamylase on both milled and intact samples. The thin layer of polycaprolactone (≈ 5 μm) formed on the surface of the thermoplastic starch–polycaprolactone blends during compression molding strongly reduced the rate of enzymatic hydrolysis. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 74: 2594–2604, 1999