Comparative study on the blends of PBS/thermoplastic starch prepared from waxy and normal corn starches

In this study, waxy (0% amylose) and normal (26% amylose) corn starches were used to prepare thermoplastic starch (WTPS and NTPS, respectively). Furthermore, comparative blends of poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) and WTPS and NTPS were prepared for investigating the effect of starch type and PBS content on the properties of PBS/TPS blends. Morphology, processability, mechanical properties, water resistance, and thermal stability of the blends were evaluated. The results showed that the plasticization and processing of waxy corn starch were more easily performed than normal corn starch. The melt flow index, tensile properties, water resistance, and thermo stability of the PBS/TPS blends increased significantly with increasing PBS content. In addition, compared with the PBS/NTPS blends, the combination of PBS and WTPS could gain some excellent performances such as good processability, superior mechanical properties, and higher water resistance.