Flexible, thermal processable, self-healing, and fully bio-based starch plastics by constructing dynamic imine network

Abstract

The serious environmental threat caused by petroleum-based plastics has spurred more researches in developing substitutes from renewable sources. Starch is desirable for fabricating bioplastic due to its abundance and renewable nature. However, limitations such as brittleness, hydrophilicity, and thermal properties restrict its widespread application. To overcome these issues, covalent adaptable network was constructed to fabricate a fully bio-based starch plastic with multiple advantages via Schiff base reactions. This strategy endowed starch plastic with excellent thermal processability, as evidenced by a low glass transition temperature (Tg = 20.15 °C). Through introducing Priamine with long carbon chains, the starch plastic demonstrated superior flexibility (elongation at break = 45.2%) and waterproof capability (water contact angle = 109.2°). Besides, it possessed a good thermal stability and self-adaptability, as well as solvent resistance and chemical degradability. This work provides a promising method to fabricate fully bio-based plastics as alternative to petroleum-based plastics.