Supercritical CO2 foamed biodegradable polymer blends of polycaprolactone and Mater-Bi.

Supercritical CO2 foam processing of biopolymers represents a green processing route to environmentally friendly media and packaging foams. Mater-Bi, a multiconstituent biopolymer of polyester, starch and vegetable oils has shown much promise for biodegradation. The polymer, however, is not foamable with CO2 so blended with another polymer which is. Polycaprolactone is a biopolymer with potential of 4000% change in volume with CO2. Thus we investigate blends of Mater-Bi (MB) and polycaprolactone (PCL) foamed in supercritical CO2 using the batch process. Characterization of the foamed and unfoamed samples were done using X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Micrographs of the samples from the SEM revealed that the cell size of the foams reduced and increased with increase in MB concentration and increase in the foaming temperature respectively. Mechanical tests; tensile, compression, shear and impact were performed on the foamed samples. It was noted that between the 20-25% wt. MB, there was an improvement in the mechanical properties. This suggests that at these compositions, there is a high interaction between PCL and MB at the molecular level compared to other compositions. The results indicate that green processing of polymer blends is viable.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

2007

Author dc:creator

• Ogunsona, Emmanuel Olusegun

Contributors dc:contributor

• D'Souza, Nandika A.
• Scharf, Thomas W.
• Dharia, Amit
• Reidy, Richard

• PCL
• biodegradable
• Mater-Bi
• green processing
• Biopolymers.
• Foamed materials.
• Packaging.

Statement dc:rights

• Public
• Copyright
• Ogunsona, Emmanuel Olusegun
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 228807843
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc5136/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc5136

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc5136