Use of Biochar as Filler for Biocomposite Blown Films: Structure-Processing-Properties Relationships.

Luigi Botta,Vincenzo Titone,Francesco Paolo La Mantia,Francesco Lopresti,Giusi Salvaggio,Rosalia Teresi

doi:10.3390/polym13223953

Luigi Botta, Vincenzo Titone + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13223953

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Abstract

In this work, biocomposite blown films based on poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) as biopolymeric matrix and biochar (BC) as filler were successfully fabricated. The materials were subjected to a film-blowing process after being compounded in a twin-screw extruder. The preliminary investigations conducted on melt-mixed PBAT/BC composites allowed PBAT/BC 5% and PBAT/BC 10% to be identified as the most appropriate formulations to be processed via film blowing. The blown films exhibited mechanical performances adequate for possible application as film for packaging, agricultural, and compost bags. The addition of BC led to an improvement of the elastic modulus, still maintaining high values of deformation. Water contact angle measurements revealed an increase in the hydrophobic behavior of the biocomposite films compared to PBAT. Additionally, accelerated degradative tests monitored by tensile tests and spectroscopic analysis revealed that the filler induced a photo-oxidative resistance on PBAT by delaying the degradation phenomena.

Highlights

In recent years, polymers and polymer-based systems have been widely investigated as materials for thin-film preparation [1,2]
The properties and the filmability of biocomposite materials based on poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) as polymer matrix and biochar as filler were investigated
All the PBAT/BC composites showed uniform filler dispersion and good adhesion within the selected biopolymeric matrix, which resulted in an increase in the elastic modulus

Summary

Introduction

Polymers and polymer-based systems have been widely investigated as materials for thin-film preparation [1,2]. Thermoplastic polymers offer low raw material costs and a well-established manufacturing process that can be scaled to large-scale production [3]. A wide plethora of biodegradable polymers, such as polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids, were proposed as suitable materials for thin-film preparation [6,12,13]. In this context, poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) is an aliphatic/aromatic copolyester that is biodegradable and compostable and, due to its interesting properties, is considered among the most promising biopolymers for packaging film, agricultural film, and compost bag fabrication [14,15,16,17]

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