Preparation and Characterization of Extruded Pbat/Organoclay Films

Abstract

Polymeric materials and their blends prepared from renewable and completely biodegradable resources are an important alternative to conventional synthetic materials. Produced by BASF, poly (butylene adipate) -co-(butylene terephthalate) (PBAT) commercially known as Ecoflex is a polymer with a good set of properties and low degradation during processing. The incorporation of additives, such as fillers, in plastics allows tailoring the properties of the polymer to specific applications and/or ease processing. In this paper, we investigate the influence of organoclay identity and content on the tensile properties, gas permeation characteristics and biodegradation of extruded PBAT/organophilic clay nanocomposite films. Cloisite C10A and C30B organoclays were used as fillers with loading levels of 0, 1 and 3%w/w. Processing was carried out in an internal mixer attached to a torque rheometer operating at 60rpm and 160 for 10 min. Extruded flat films of the processed materials were obtained and their tensile properties were determined. Biodegradation was determined by weight loss as a function of burial time in fertile soil. Biocomposites degraded more slowly than the matrix, which was attributed to organoclay antimicrobial properties. Torque rheometry indicated more intense degradation on the biocomposites with higher organoclay content, particularly C30B. Although the influence of clay identity on the tensile properties of the films was minimal, their thickness increased and permeability and biodegradation decreased with clay content, particularly for C30B modified films. 1.