Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

A facile two-step melt extrusion processing method was used to prepare high performance thermoplastic starch (TPS)/urea modified montmorillonite (UMMT) nanocomposites in this work. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) demonstrated that urea could destruct the multilayer and platelet structure of montmorillonite during the first melt extrusion processing, which was propitious to form intercalated or exfoliated nanocomposites in the second melt extrusion processing. UMMT, starch, and 30 wt% plasticizers (formamide and urea (1 : 2 wt%)) based on the starch could form partially exfoliated nanocomposites proved by XRD and TEM, respectively. Fourier transform infrared proved intense interactions existed in UMMT and TPS/UMMT nanocomposites. So high UMMT content could obviously increase the thermal stability and mechanical properties of nanocomposites, especially the tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and energy break could reach to 17.8 MPa, 210 MPa, and 760 J/m³, respectively. Finally, the increasing montmorillonite contents also decreased the water absorption and water vapor permeability of TPS material.

Keywords

extrusion montmorillonite nanocomposites starch thermoplastic.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Yu, L. , Dean, K. and Li, L. ( 2006). Polymer Blends and Composites from Renewable Resources , Progress in Polymer Science, 31(6): 576-602.

Pandey, J.K. , Reddy, K.R. , Kumar, A.P. and Singh, R.P. (2005). An Overview on the Degradability of Polymer Nanocomposites, Polymer Degradation and Stability, 88(2): 234-250.

Ma, X.F. , Yu, J.G. and Jin, F. (2004). Urea and Formamide as a Mixed Plasticizer for Thermoplastic Starch, Polymer International , 53(11): 1780-1785.

Shogren, R.L. (1992). Effect of Moisture-content on the Melting and Subsequent Physical Aging of Cornstarch, Carbohydrate Polymers, 19(2): 83-90.

Thunwall, M. , Kuthanova, V. , Boldizar, A. and Rigdahl, M. (2008). Film Blowing of Thermoplastic Starch, Carbohydrate Polymers, 71(4): 583-590.

Wang, N. , Yu, J.G. and Ma, X.F. ( 2008). Preparation and Characterization of Compatible Thermoplastic Dry Starch/Poly(lactic acid), Polymer Composites, 29(5): 551-559.

Wang, N. , Yu, J.G. , Chang, P.R. and Ma, X.F. ( 2008). Influence of Formamide and Water on the Properties of Thermoplastic Starch/poly(lactic acid) Blends, Carbohydrate Polymers, 71(1): 109-118.

Wang, N. , Yu, J.G. and Ma, X.F. ( 2007). Preparation and Characterization of Thermoplastic Starch/PLA Blends by One-step Reactive Extrusion, Polymer International , 56(11): 1440-1447.

Wang, N. , Yu, J.G. , Ma, X.F. and Han, C.M. ( 2007). High Performance Modified Thermoplastic Starch/Linear Low-density Polyethylene Blends in One-step Extrusion, Polymer Composites, 28(1): 89-97.

10.

Wang, N. , Yu, J.G. , Ma, X.F. and Wu, Y. ( 2007). The Influence of Citric Acid on the Properties of Thermoplastic Starch/Linear Low-density Polyethylene Blends, Carbohydrate Polymers, 67(3): 446-453.

11.

Park, H.M. , Lee, W.K. , Park, C.Y. , Cho, W.J. and Ha, C.S. ( 2003). Environmentally Friendly Polymer Hybrids - Part I - Mechanical, Thermal, and Barrier Properties of Thermoplastic Starch/clay Nanocomposites , Journal of Materials Science, 38(5): 909-915.

12.

Cyras, V.P. , Manfredi, L.B. , Ton-That, M.T. and Vazquez, A. ( 2008). Physical and Mechanical Properties of Thermoplastic Starch/Montmorillonite Nanocomposite Films, Carbohydrate Polymers, 73(1): 55-63.

13.

Zhang, Q.X. , Yu, Z.Z. , Xie, X.L. , Naito, D. and Kagawa, Y. (2007). Preparation and Crystalline Morphology of Biodegradable Starch/Clay Nanocomposites, Polymer , 48(24): 7193-7200.

14.

Huang, M.F. , Yu, J.G. and Ma, X.F. (2006). High Mechanical Performance MMT-urea and Formamide-Plasticized Thermoplastic Cornstarch Biodegradable Nanocomposites, Carbohydrate Polymers, 63(3): 393-399.

15.

Wilhelm, H.M. , Sierakowski, M.R. , Souza, G.P. and Wypych, F. (2003). The Influence of Layered Compounds on the Properties of Starch/Layered Compound Composites, Polymer International, 52(6): 1035-1044.

16.

Dean, K. , Yu, L. and Wu, D.Y. ( 2007). Preparation and Characterization of Melt-extruded Thermoplastic Starch/Clay Nanocomposites, Composites Science and Technology , 67(3-4): 413-421.

17.

Wang, N. , Zhang, X.X. , Han, N. and Bai, S.H. ( 2009). Effect of Citric Acid and Processing on the Performance of Thermoplastic Starch/Montmorillonite Nanocomposites, Carbohydrate Polymers, 76(1, 2): 68-73.

18.

Ma, X.F. , Yu, J.G. and Ma, Y.B. (2005). Urea and Formamide as a Mixed Plasticizer for Thermoplastic Wheat Flour, Carbohydrate Polymers, 60(1): 111-116.

19.

Mali, S. , Grossmann, M.V.E. , Garcia, M.A. , Martino, M.N. and Zaritzky, N.E. ( 2006). Effects of Controlled Storage on Thermal, Mechanical and Barrier Properties of Plasticized Films from Different Starch Sources , Journal of Food Engineering, 75(4): 453-460.

20.

Pawlak, A. and Mucha, M. ( 2003). Thermogravimetric and FTIR Studies of Chitosan Blends , Thermochimica Acta, 396(1-2): 153-166.

21.

Horowitz, H.H. and Metzger, G. (1963). A New Analysis of Thermogravimetric Traces, Analytical Chemistry, 35(10): 1464-1468.

A Facile Method for Preparation of Thermoplastic Starch/Urea Modified Montmorillonite Nanocomposites

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References