Reinforcement of thermoplastic starch films by talc nanoparticles

LUCIANA CASTILLO; OLIVIA LÓPEZ; MARCELO VILLAR; SILVIA BARBOSA; MARÍA ALEJANDRA GARCÍA

Florianópolis

Congreso; 12º Congreso Brasileiro de Polímeros; 2013

Nanocomposite films of thermoplastic corn starch (TPS) with talc particles (0, 1, 3 and 5%) were obtained by thermo-compression in order to study the effect of filler on structure, mechanical performance, and barrier properties. Talc increased the rigid phase of the films giving more irregular cross-sections. Talc preferential orientation within matrix and good compatibility between particles and TPS was observed by SEM. Slight crystalline structure changes in TPS matrix was measured by XRD and DSC, due to talc nucleating effect. TPS-talc nanocomposites presented higher elastic modulus values than TPS films due to particles rigidity, while their elongation at break did not change significantly. Films with talc showed lower values of water vapor and oxygen permeability due to filler disposition within TPS matrix.