title: Enhancing distributive mixing of immiscible polyethylene/thermoplastic starch blend through zeolite ZSM-5 compounding sequence.
abstract: The aim of this work was to explore the effect of zeolite ZSM-5 (ZSM5) incorporation sequence on the phase morphology, microstructure, and performance of polyethylene/thermoplastic starch (PE/TPS) films. Two processing sequences were used for preparing PE/TPS/ZSM5 composites at a weight ratio of PE to TPS of 70:30 and ZSM5 concentrations of 1-5 wt%: (i) melt compounding of PE with ZSM5 prior to melt blending with TPS (SI); and (ii) TPS was compounded with ZSM5 prior to blending with PE (SII). Distributive mixing and mechanical properties of PE/TPS blend were greatly enhanced when ZSM5 was incorporated via SII. These were caused by both the higher affinity between PE and ZSM5, compared to that of TPS and ZSM5, and the reduction of TPS viscosity after compounding with ZSM5, leading to migration of ZSM5 from TPS dispersed phase toward PE matrix and increase in breakup of TPS droplets during SII sequence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Packaging and Materials Technology, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand; Center for Advanced Studies in Nanotechnology for Chemical, Food and Agricultural Industries, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
authors.forename: Ranumas
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thipmanee
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers and Films, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0909, USA.
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lukubira
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers and Films, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0909, USA.
authors.forename: Amod A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ogale
authors.affiliation: Department of Packaging and Materials Technology, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand; Center for Advanced Studies in Nanotechnology for Chemical, Food and Agricultural Industries, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand. Electronic address: amporn.s@ku.ac.th.
authors.forename: Amporn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sane
mesh_terms: D020959:Polyethylene / Q000737:chemistry*; D013213:Starch / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D014783:Viscosity; D017641:Zeolites / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: C570564:ZSM-5 zeolite; D017641:Zeolites; D020959:Polyethylene; D013213:Starch
keywords: Blending sequence; Distributive mixing; Polyethylene; Thermoplastic starch; Viscosity; Zeolite