Influence of Starch Oxidization and Modification on Interfacial Interaction, Rheological Behavior, and Properties of Poly(Propylene Carbonate)/Starch Blends

ABSTRACT

The enhanced maleic anhydride-end-capped poly(propylene carbonate)/starch blends were prepared through starch oxidization and modification with a coupling agent, aluminic ester. The interfacial interaction, rheological behavior, and properties of blends were investigated through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, rheological measurement, mechanical property test, differential scanning calorimetric, thermogravimetric analysis, and moisture absorption test. The results show that hydrogen-bonding interaction is formed between poly(propylene carbonate) and starch, which makes the tensile strength of maleic anhydride-end-capped poly(propylene carbonate)/starch blends improved significantly. The glass transition temperature (T_g) of blends is increased when coupling agent is induced into polymer system. When increasing the content of starch modified with coupling agent from 10 to 30%, T_g values for composites increased from 30.5 to 32.8°C. Thermogravimetric analysis results show that oxidation of starch can improve the thermal stability and modification of starch through aluminic ester that can further increase the thermal stability of maleic anhydride-end-capped poly(propylene carbonate)/starch blends. Oxidation of starch has no significant effect on moisture absorption for poly(propylene carbonate)/starch blends.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Interfacial interaction
• mechanical property
• poly(propylene carbonate)
• rheological property
• starch oxidization
• thermal property

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51573062) and National Science Fund of Guangdong Province (2014A030313235).