Polycaprolactone (PCL) has been blended with thermoplastic starch (TPS), prepared from regular com starch and glycerol, in a twin-screw extruder. The rheological, mechanical, thermal and morphological properties of the blends were examined. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) studies revealed that PCL/TPS blends are thermodynamically immiscible. However, they form compatible blends as a result of the hydrogen bonding Interaction between the ester carbonyl of PCL and the -OH groups on starch. Biodegradability of the blends increased with increasing TPS content. Dynamic viscoelastic measurements concluded that blends containing above 60-wt% TPS had higher storage and loss moduli than those of pure TPS and PCL. In addition, these blends had higher complex viscosities. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.
CITATION STYLE
Shin, B. Y., Lee, S. I., Shin, Y. S., Balakrishnan, S., & Narayan, R. (2004). Rheological, mechanical and biodegradation studies on blends of thermoplastic starch and polycaprolactone. Polymer Engineering and Science, 44(8), 1429–1438. https://doi.org/10.1002/pen.20139
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