Salt modified starch: Sustainable, recyclable plastics

The ubiquitous nature of starch makes it a tantalising basis of sustainable plastic manufacture. Extensive hydrogen bonding between chains, however, makes the plasticisation of starch difficult but this work shows that the incorporation of a simple quaternary ammonium salt can lead to a flexible plastic with mechanical properties similar to oil derived plastics. Compression-moulding produces a transparent material with mechanical strength which is similar to some polyolefin plastics. It is shown that the material can be extruded and/or compression-moulded and these processes improve further the mechanical strength of the samples. Most importantly, it is shown that these plastics are recyclable and ultimately compostable.

[1]  J. Laurindo,et al.  Biodegradable films based on rice starch and rice flour , 2010 .

[2]  P. Chang,et al.  Formamide and 2-hydroxy-N-[2-(2-hydroxy-propionylamino)-ethyl] propionamide (HPEP) as a mixed plasticizer for thermoplastic starch , 2009 .

[3]  A. Gandini,et al.  The effect of plasticizers on thermoplastic starch compositions obtained by melt processing , 2006 .

[4]  W. Ning,et al.  Ionically Conducting Polymers Based on Ionic Liquid-Plasticized Starch Containing Lithium Chloride , 2010 .

[5]  G. Moates,et al.  Phase and glass transition behaviour of concentrated barley starch-glycerol-water mixtures, a model for thermoplastic starch , 1997 .

[6]  Lin Li,et al.  Thermal processing of starch-based polymers , 2009 .

[7]  S. Ramesh,et al.  Studies on the plasticization efficiency of deep eutectic solvent in suppressing the crystallinity of corn starch based polymer electrolytes. , 2012, Carbohydrate polymers.

[8]  A. Abbott,et al.  O-Acetylation of cellulose and monosaccharides using a zinc based ionic liquid , 2005 .

[9]  M. Mitrus.  Glass transition temperature of thermoplastic starches , 2005 .

[10]  A Robert Hillman,et al.  Dynamics of regioregular conducting polymer electrodes in response to electrochemical stimuli. , 2002, Faraday discussions.

[11]  Emma L. Smith,et al.  Electroless deposition of metallic silver from a choline chloride-based ionic liquid: a study using acoustic impedance spectroscopy, SEM and atomic force microscopy. , 2007, Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP.

[12]  M. Rigdahl,et al.  Compression molding and tensile properties of thermoplastic potato starch materials. , 2006, Biomacromolecules.

[13]  L. Avérous,et al.  Properties of thermoplastic blends: starch-polycaprolactone , 2000 .

[14]  D. Dragunski,et al.  Amylopectin-rich starch plasticized with glycerol for polymer electrolyte application , 2010 .

[15]  Peter Hauptmann,et al.  The quartz crystal microbalance: mass sensitivity, viscoelasticity and acoustic amplification , 2000 .

[16]  Xiaofei Ma,et al.  The plastcizers containing amide groups for thermoplastic starch , 2004 .

[17]  J. Gordon,et al.  Frequency of a quartz microbalance in contact with liquid , 1985 .

[18]  J. L. Willett,et al.  Electroactive Materials Composed of Starch , 2004 .

[19]  D. S. Jackson,et al.  DSC enthalpic transitions during starch gelatinisation in excess water, dilute sodium chloride and dilute sucrose solutions. , 2009 .

[20]  P. Gatenholm,et al.  Effect of Water Content in Potato Amylopectin Starch on Microwave Foaming Process , 2007 .

[21]  X. F. Ma,et al.  Urea and ethanolamine as a mixed plasticizer for thermoplastic starch , 2006 .

[22]  T. Spychaj,et al.  Ionic liquids as starch plasticizers or solvents , 2011 .

[23]  David L Davies,et al.  Novel solvent properties of choline chloride/urea mixtures. , 2003, Chemical communications.

[24]  D. G. Stevenson,et al.  Ionic liquids as solvents for biopolymers: Acylation of starch and zein protein , 2006 .