Abstract
Cassava starch was blended with glycerol to prepare thermoplastic starch (TPS). Thermoplastic starch was premixed with sericin (TPSS) by solution mixing and then melt-blended with polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride (PEMAH). The effect of sericin on the mechanical properties, morphology, thermal properties, rheology, and reaction mechanism was investigated. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the TPSS10/PEMAH blend were improved to 12.2 MPa and 100.4%, respectively. The TPS/PEMAH morphology presented polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride particles (2 μm) dispersed in the thermoplastic starch matrix, which decreased in size to approximately 200 nm when 5% sericin was used. The melting temperature of polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride (121 °C) decreased to 111 °C because of the small crystal size of the polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride phase. The viscosity of TPS/PEMAH increased with increasing sericin content because of the chain extension. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the reaction between the amino groups of sericin and the maleic anhydride groups of polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride. This reaction reduced the interfacial tension between thermoplastic starch and polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride, which improved the compatibility, mechanical properties, and morphology of the blend.
Highlights
Cassava starch was blended with glycerol to prepare thermoplastic starch (TPS)
Cassava starch was blended with glycerol (70:30%w/w) to prepare the TPS due to good melt–processing ability and mechanical p roperties[5,41]
Sericin was extracted from cocoon fiber, and sericin at 1–10 phr was incorporated into the TPS by solution mixing
Summary
Thermoplastic starch was premixed with sericin (TPSS) by solution mixing and melt-blended with polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride (PEMAH). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the reaction between the amino groups of sericin and the maleic anhydride groups of polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride This reaction reduced the interfacial tension between thermoplastic starch and polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride, which improved the compatibility, mechanical properties, and morphology of the blend. Aim of this research is to develop high mechanical properties TPS using reactive melt blending of cassava starch, glycerol, sericin and PEMAH. Sericin was extracted from cocoons and incorporated into the TPS as a compatibilizer by solution mixing, and the effect of sericin on the mechanical properties, morphology, surface tension, thermal properties, rheology, and reaction mechanism was investigated to provide high tensile strength TPS for packaging, agriculture, and medical applications
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