title: A new approach in compatibilization of the poly(lactic acid)/thermoplastic starch (PLA/TPS) blends.
abstract: In this study, a new compatibilizer was synthesized to improve the compatibility of the poly(lactic acid)/thermoplastic starch blends. The compatibilizer was based on maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene glycol grafted starch (mPEG-g-St), and was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and back titration techniques. The results indicated successful accomplishment of the designed reactions and formation of a starch cored structure with many connections to m-PEG chains. To assess the performance of synthesized compatibilizer, several PLA/TPS blends were prepared using an internal mixer. Consequently, their morphology, dynamic-mechanical behavior, crystallization and mechanical properties were studied. The compatibilizer enhanced interfacial adhesion, possibly due to interaction between free end carboxylic acid groups of compatibilizer and active groups of TPS and PLA phases. In addition, biodegradability of the samples was evaluated by various methods consisting of weight loss, FTIR-ATR analysis and morphology. The results revealed no considerable effect of compatibilizer on biodegradability of samples.
authors.affiliation: Processing Department, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, P.O. Box: 14965/115, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Marzieh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akrami
authors.affiliation: Processing Department, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, P.O. Box: 14965/115, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: I.Ghasemi@ippi.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Ismaeil
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ghasemi
authors.affiliation: Processing Department, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, P.O. Box: 14965/115, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamed
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Azizi
authors.affiliation: Processing Department, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, P.O. Box: 14965/115, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karrabi
authors.affiliation: Molecular Imaging Department, Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box: 7514633341, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seyedabadi
mesh_terms: D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D010969:Plastics / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D013213:Starch / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics; D011091:Polyesters; C033616:poly(lactide); D013213:Starch
keywords: Biodegradability; Compatibilization; Mechanical properties; Morphology; PLA/thermoplastic starch blend