New blends of ethylene-butyl acrylate copolymers with thermoplastic starch. Characterization and bacterial biodegradation.
Ethylene-butyl acrylate copolymer (EBA) with 13% of butyl acrylate content was used to produce blends with 10, 30 and 60% of thermoplastic starch (TPS) plasticized with glycerol. Ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer (EAA) was used as compatibilizer at 20% content with respect to EBA. The blends were characterized by X-ray diffraction, ATR-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), water-Contact Angle measurements (CA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Stress-strain mechanical tests. Initiated autoxidation of the polymer blends was studied by chemiluminescence (CL) confirming that the presence of the polyolefin-TPS interphase did not substantially affect the oxidative thermostability of the materials. Three bacterial species have been isolated from the blend films buried in soil and identified as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus borstelensis and Bacillus licheniformis. Biodegradation of the blends (28days at 45°C) was evaluated by carbon dioxide measurement using the indirect impedance technique.
Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid-UAM, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
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Morro
Department of Applied Macromolecular Chemistry, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros, C.S.I.C. Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: fcatalina@ictp.csic.es.
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Catalina
Department of Applied Macromolecular Chemistry, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros, C.S.I.C. Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
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Corrales
Department of Applied Macromolecular Chemistry, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros, C.S.I.C. Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
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Pablos
Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid-UAM, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
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Marin
Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid-UAM, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: concepcion.abrusci@uam.es.
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Abrusci
D000179:Acrylates / Q000737:chemistry*; D001407:Bacillus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D001711:Biotransformation; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010969:Plastics / Q000737:chemistry*; D020959:Polyethylene / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013213:Starch / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature
D000179:Acrylates; D010969:Plastics; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; C032490:n-butyl acrylate; D020959:Polyethylene; D013213:Starch
Bacterial biodegradation; Ethylene-butyl acrylate copolymer; Starch blend chemiluminescence; Thermoplastic starch