Processing and Thermal Behaviors of Poly (Butylene Succinate) Blends with Highly-Filled Starch and Glycerol

Fully-biodegradable and highly-filled thermoplastic starch plasticized with glycerol (GTPS)/poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) blends were prepared by Haake Mixer. Processing properties, thermal behaviors including melting and crystallization behavior, crystal structure, and compatibility of the blends were investigated using differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), wide angle X-ray diffractometer (WAXD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The maximum and equilibrium torques decreased with the rising of glycerol contents and the dropping of PBS contents. GTPS30/PBS blends exhibited double melting endothermic peaks in the DSC thermograms, which related to the crystallization behavior and compatibility of the blends, but no double peaks for GTPS40/PBS. The addition of starch and glycerol could lead to higher crystallinity and lower crystallization rate of PBS, but would not change the crystal types and crystallite sizes of PBS according to DSC and WAXD analysis. SEM and DMA results gave the evidence to confirm the better compatibility of GTPS40/PBS. Besides, higher storage modulus in glassy state of GTPS/PBS blends than PBS could be seen from DMA analysis, which was the contrary in rubbery state.