(24d) Biodegradable Plastic Blends and Modified Starch-Based Sustainable Composite Films for Packaging Applications

Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), a well-known biodegradable random copolymer, was investigated with poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) as a biodegradable polymer with high barrier properties in the presence of fillers i.e. starch and silane treated starch. This was performed to determine the effect of silane-treated starch on the barrier, mechanical, and thermal properties of the cast melt extrusion of PBAT/PHBV blend. Significant improvements in oxygen (~91%) and water vapor (~82%) barrier properties of the PBAT/PHBV blend were analyzed after adding silane-treated starch as compared to PBAT film. This was due to the increased % crystallinity and uniform dispersion of modified starch in the blend matrix as confirmed by SEM analysis and the strong interfacial adhesion between filler and the blend matrix. The % elongation at break value for the cast extruded PBAT/PHBV film with modified starch was observed ~529%, which is suitable for flexible packaging applications.

Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank the following for their financial support: i) Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)/University of Guelph-Bioeconomy for Industrial Uses Research Program (Project Nos. 030486, 030578); ii) OMAFRA-Gryphon’s Leading to the Accelerated Adoption of Innovative Research (LAAIR) Program (Project No. 030416); iii) OMAFRA- Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (Project No. 055217); iv) the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade ORF-RE09-078 (Project Nos. 053970, 054345); and v) the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Canada Research Chair (CRC) program Project No. 460788.