Structure-Properties Relationship of In Situ Synthesized Poly(Butylene Succinate)/Silica Nanocomposites: Application in Extrusion Blowing of Films

The melt synthesis of poly(butylene succinate)/silica (PBS/SiO2) nanocomposites is investigated via an in situ approach. The use of two types of nanosilica, fumed (or pyrogenic) silica and colloidal silica, is described. In all cases, the addition of silica favors an increase of the melt viscosity during the polycondensation step. This behavior is attributed to both polymer-silica interactions and PBS chain coupling via possible reaction with silica silanols. Biodegradable film is a promising application for PBS. In this context, it is proved that silica greatly facilitates PBS processing by extrusion blowing (a longitudinal draw ratio of 16 is attained). Moreover, tensile tests performed on films demonstrate significant reinforcement of the material with the addition of the nanofiller. The dispersion of the particles into the polymer matrix is assessed by transmission electron microscopy and further characterized by image analysis. It appears that pyrogenic and colloidal silica particles are regularly dispersed in the polymer matrix and that this dispersion is stable upon film blowing.