The objective of the present study was the preparation and characterization of poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT) and thermoplastic starch (TPS) blends reinforced with cellulose nanoparticles (CNCs) by extrusion. The work was conducted in four steps. Initially, the CNCs were prepared from eucalyptus cellulose pulp by acid hydrolysis. The second step was the preparation of the nanocomposite (TPS‐CNC), composed of cassava starch, CNC, glycerol, and citric and stearic acids, by double screw extrusion. The third step was the preparation of PBAT/TPS‐CNC blends in twin‐screw extruders. In the fourth step, the films were produced by flat extrusion. Blends exhibited similar rheological behavior, increasing the CNC concentration in blends increased the viscosity as a function of the shear rate, and altered the behavior of the shear storage (G′) and shear loss (G″) curves as a function of the oscillation frequency (ω). The presence of CNC in blend provided improvements significant in mechanical properties, with 120% increase in Young's modulus, and 46% increase in maximum tensile. Thermal behavior (thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry) was altered with the incorporation of the CNC, showing a single melt peak (Tm) and a slight increase in Tg, indicating good dispersion between the phases of the blends, corroborating with the fracture surface microscopy of films.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.