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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #107764
Title: INTERFACIAL PROPERTIES OF STARCH/BIODEGRADABLE ESTER BLENDS

Author
item Biresaw, Girma
item Carriere, Craig

Submitted to: American Chemistry Society Abstracts
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/30/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Biopolymers are preferred ingredients for the manufacture of materials because they are based on abundantly available renewable raw materials that have benign environmental problems associated with their production, fabrication, use, and disposal. However, wide use of biopolymers in materials has not been achieved mainly due to the inferior quality of biopolymer-based products. In order to overcome this, studies have been initiated on blends of biopolymers and biodegradable synthetic polymers. We have used the contact angle of probe liquids to measure the surface energy of polystyrene, biodegradable polyesters polycaprolactone (PCL), polylactic acid (PLA), poly (hydroxy ester ether) (PHEE), and normal starch. The values were then used to estimate the starch/polymer interfacial energy and work of adhesion. The calculated starch/polymer interfacial energies were found to increase in the order Starch/PCL < Starch/PS < Starch/PHEE < Starch/PLA. The Starch/Polymer work of adhesion decreased in the order Starch/PCL > Starch/PLA > Starch/PS > Starch/PHEE.