Open Access

ARTICLE

Effect of Glycerol and Reactive Compatibilizers on Poly(butylene succinate)/Starch Blends

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1 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Technology, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom, 73000, Thailand
2 Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom, 73000, Thailand

* Corresponding Author:

Journal of Renewable Materials 2014, 2(1), 85-92. https://doi.org/10.7569/JRM.2013.634135

Received 15 December 2013; Accepted 17 February 2014;

Abstract

A one-step process in an internal mixer was used to prepare Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS)/high-loading modifi ed tapioca starch (30–40 wt%) blends with low glycerol content (10–20 wt% of starch) as a plasticizer. To promote a good compatibility, two reactive agents, maleic anhydride (MA)/peroxide and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), were selected and compared. The mechanical properties, morphology, and Molau test of the blends were investigated. The compatibility of PBS/starch blends was improved by both reactive agents at the suitable plasticizer loading (glycerol 10 wt% of starch). It was demonstrated that increasing mechanical properties resulted in good adhesion of PBS/starch interface and small evenly dispersed starch particles. MA/ peroxide of 0.20/0.01 phr/phr and MDI of 0.2 phr were suffi cient to improve the mechanical properties of PBS/starch (60:40 and 70:30) blends at 10 wt% glycerol (of starch). The results from the Molau test confi rmed the formation of graft-copolymer at the interface when compatibilizers were added.

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Keywords

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