Thermoplastic starch

Abstract

The utilization of Thermoplastic Starch (TPS) is a key factor in the effort to bring the plastic industry to become more environmentally friendly. TPS can be processed by means of when a slurry of additives such as starch, water, and crude glycerin are compounded with necessary coupling agents along with virgin resins such as HDPE by means of extrusion. The advantage of utilizing a TPS resin is that depending on the starch content, applications can be made of a biodegradable or semi-biodegradable nature. What makes TPS environmentally friendly is that the starch ingredient which is incorporated within the slurry comes from agricultural crops such as corn, wheat, and potatoes. Also the crude glycerin, which is used as a plasticizer in the TPS process, is a by-product from the biodiesel industry. This proves to be beneficial not only to the environment but to the American farmer. Once the TPS resin has been successfully compounded by means of extrusion the newly formulated resin may be pelletized right off the cooling trough of the extrusion line and utilized in processes such as blown film to make plastic bags and films of a bio-degradable nature. Biodegradable commodity items used for packaging, shopping and so forth, will prove to be sustainable to a Greener Environment in the future.