Biodegradability, mechanical properties, melt flow index, and morphology of polypropylene/amylose/amylose-ester blends

摘要

We blended polypropylene (PP) with amylose (AM) and/or dodecanoyl ester of amylose (DODAM) in an effort to make it biodegradable. The content of AM/DODAM was varied from 0 to 40% in the blends. The biodegradability, mechanical properties, melt flow indexes (MFIs), and morphologies of the blends were studied. Biodegradability increased with increases in AXYDODAM content. It was found to be dependent on DODAM content and was at a maximum in blends containing 40% AM + DODAM. Blends with no DODAM or 2.5% DODAM showed almost no adherence of the phases. Dispersion of AM improved in blends with 5% DODAM, and it showed satisfactory adherence to PP also. The tensile strength, elongation at break, and Izod impact strength decreased with increasing AM content. However, in blends with both AM and DODAM, all these properties, especially the elongation at break, showed improvements. The same trend was observed for MFI. (C) 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [References: 27]