Biodegradable Materials of Oat Hulls, Starch, and Polybutylene Succinate Produced by Thermoplastic Injection

Abstract

The utilization of biopolymers blended with agro-industrial residues or by-products holds promise due to the potential for cost reduction and improvement of material properties. In this study, our aim was to develop biodegradable polymeric blends using PBS, starch, and oat hulls via thermoplastic injection. Seven different formulations were analyzed [F0, F20, F40, F60, F80, F100, and PBS], and various analyses were performed. The mechanical properties revealed that pure PBS and F0 presented the highest tensile strength and elongation at break respectively. Pure PBS and F100 demonstrated the lowest density. SEM of materials containing oat hulls displayed cylindrical-shaped fibers, with significant agglomeration and alignment likely due to extrusion orientation. The results demonstrate the successful production of a novel material using thermoplastic starch, PBS, and oat hulls through thermoplastic injection. These materials exhibited good processability. This presents a promising avenue for the development of cheaper and biodegradable materials with good processability to be produced in large scale, as they are environment friendly.