Polypropylene/starch blends. study of thermal and morphological properties

Abstract

Polypropylene/starch blends were prepared using starch of different botanical source. The influence of starch type and starch content on thermal properties and morphology of polypropylene/starch blends was studied. Corn and potato starches were used as starch source. The starch content in the blends was 7 and 15 wt-%. Characterization of PP and PP/starch blends by (DSC), (TGA), and (SEM) was carried out to obtain information on miscibility among PP and starch. The starch domains exhibited characteristic voids be due to thermal degradation. Two types of PP, PP1 poly(propylene-co-ethylene), random copolymer, and PP3 poly(propylene-co-ethylene), heterophasic copolymer were studied.