title: The effect of starch amylose content on the morphology and properties of melt-processed butyl-etherified starch/poly[(butylene succinate)-co-adipate] blends.
abstract: In this study, butyl-etherified waxy and high amylose starches were melt-processed with biodegradable poly[(butylene succinate)-co-adipate] (PBSA) to improve the long-term stability of the starch-based materials. Butyl-etherification was believed to improve the compatibility of starch with PBSA matrix. Scanning electron microscopy results demonstrated that highly branched amylopectin structures in butyl-etherified starch have better chemical interaction with the PBSA matrix compared to linear amylose structures. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the thermal stability of the blends decreased with increasing starch loading for all starch types with varying amylose content; however, the nature of the starch controlled the mechanical properties of the blends. Furthermore, the differential scanning calorimetric and polarised optical microscopic results demonstrated that the degree of crystallinity of PBSA decreased with increasing loading of amylopectin content in starch. Therefore, this work reveals the possibility of improving the inherent properties of starch by blending with PBSA through careful selection of the amylose content in starch.
authors.affiliation: DST-CSIR National Centre for Nanostructured Materials, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, Johannesburg 2028, South Africa.
authors.forename: Lesego
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maubane
authors.affiliation: DST-CSIR National Centre for Nanostructured Materials, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein 2028, South Africa. Electronic address: rsuprakas@csir.co.za.
authors.forename: Suprakas Sinha
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, Johannesburg 2028, South Africa.
authors.forename: Kalala
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jalama
mesh_terms: D000272:Adipates / Q000737:chemistry*; D000475:Alkenes; D000687:Amylopectin / Q000737:chemistry*; D000688:Amylose / Q000737:chemistry*; D013213:Starch / Q000737:chemistry*; D013386:Succinates / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000272:Adipates; D000475:Alkenes; D013386:Succinates; C558934:butylene; D013213:Starch; D000688:Amylose; D000687:Amylopectin
keywords: Butyl-etherified starch/PBSA blends; Mechanical and material properties; Starch amylose content