Biodegradable Poly(butylene succinate) Blended with Biorenewable Derivatives from Polysaccharides

Abstract

Biodegradable poly(butylenes succinate) (PBS) was blended with derivates of cellulose. The amount of cellulose triacetate (CTA), cellulose propionate (CP) and cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) were varied from 0% to 30% by weight. The PBS blends films were prepared by hot pressing method at 120 °C, 160 °C and 180 °C for 5 minutes and 10 minutes. The effects of CT A, CP and CAB on improvements in mechanical properties were investigated by measuring selected film properties such as tensile strength and elongation at break. Elongation at break increases by increasing amount of CAB and slightly increases with increasing amount of CP and hot press temperature. Elongation at break was not improved for PBS blended with CT A. The optimum elongation at break for PBS blends with CP and CAB is observed at 160 °C for 5 minutes with 20% CP and 30% CAB. The strain of PBS with CP (33.5%) and PBS with CAB (218%) was developed compared with PBS only (21 %). The strength decreases with increasing amount of cellulose. It was found that the development of strength was not observed for PBS blends with CTA, CP or CAB. Thermal properties were investigated by Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC). In addition, biomass carbon ratios of these PBS blends were measured by accelerated mass spectrometry (AMS). The biomass carbon ratio of CAB used was about 38.55%, PBS-CAB blend had a biomass carbon ratio about 8.62%. These values were corresponded to the theoretical values for PBS-CAB blend.