Abstract
In this study, Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) and Thermoplastic Starch (TPS) reinforced with different amounts of Starch Nanocrystals (SNCs) with and without Dicumyl Peroxide (DCP) were blended in an internal mixer. The XRD results showed that crystallinity decreases with increasing SNC content with and without DCP. Tensile test results showed that elongation at breaking, tensile strength, and elastic modulus are lower than that of neat LDPE, whereas, the elastic modulus for the LDPE/TPS/SNC5%/DCP is higher than that of LDPE. AFM showed a decrease in the roughness of the surface after the addition of SNC and the surface become less rough after DCP addition.
Highlights
Environmental pollution from consumed polymers has become a serious global concern
In this work, Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)/Thermoplastic Starch (TPS)/Starch Nanocrystals (SNCs) nanocomposites reinforced with various amounts of SNC with and without Dicumyl Peroxide (DCP) were prepared with an internal mixer
Structural tests showed that the crystallinity of LDPE/TPS/SNC nanocomposites decreased with increasing SNC content and decreased even more after DCP addition
Summary
Environmental pollution from consumed polymers has become a serious global concern. This type of pollution comes mainly from plastic waste, from packaging materials, offset plastic bags, bottles, cups, etc. [1]. Thermoplastic Starch (TPS) is a very hydrophilic material with limited performance. To overcome this difficulty and maintain its biodegradability, one strategy is to combine plasticized starch with another biodegradable polymer [4]. Biodegradable plastics made from blends of TPS/synthetic materials have little compatibility with hydrophilic starch and hydrophobic synthetic polymers. With the development of biodegradable materials, polysaccharides and nanocrystals/nanoparticles in particular, are attracting more scientific interest. These materials are among the more promising sources for the production of nanoparticles mainly due to their semi-crystalline structure. It is shown that up to a content of 20wt % this new filler presents the advantage to reinforce NRs without
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