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Thermal, morphological, and mechanical properties of biobased and biodegradable blends of poly(lactic acid) and chemically modified thermoplastic starch
Author(s) -
Shin Boo Young,
Jang Sang Hee,
Kim Bong Shik
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.21896
Subject(s) - materials science , crystallinity , thermoplastic , ultimate tensile strength , differential scanning calorimetry , lactic acid , biodegradation , starch , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , composite material , plastics extrusion , scanning electron microscope , thermoplastic elastomer , biodegradable polymer , izod impact strength test , polymer blend , chemical engineering , copolymer , polymer , organic chemistry , chemistry , physics , genetics , biology , bacteria , engineering , thermodynamics
In this study, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was blended with chemically modified thermoplastic starch (CMPS) in a twin‐screw extruder. The characteristic properties of PLA/CMPS blends were investigated by observing the morphology, thermal, and mechanical properties, and biodegradability. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that the PLA/CMPS were thermodynamically immiscible. However, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared studies revealed that the interfacial adhesion was improved by the PLA‐g‐starch copolymers that were formed at the interface through a transesterification reaction between PLA and CMPS. The crystallinity of the PLA component in the blend was increased by the addition of the CMPS and was highly affected by the morphology of the blend. The tensile strength and elongation were found to decrease in a linear trend with increasing CMPS content. The biodegradability of the blends increased with increasing CMPS content, while initial time lag decreased. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers