Novel thermoplastic starch-clay nanocomposite foams

Meng Chen; Biqiong Chen; Julian R.G. Evans

doi:10.1088/0957-4484/16/10/056

Novel thermoplastic starch-clay nanocomposite foams

Meng Chen, Biqiong Chen, Julian R.G. Evans^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

46 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Novel thermoplastic starch (TPS)-clay nanocomposite foams were prepared by melt-processing. The use of urea as plasticizer avoids the cracking of TPS during storage and enhances the dispersion of ammonium-treated clay in TPS. X-ray diffraction shows an increase in the basal plane spacings of both natural and treated clays, suggesting formation of nanocomposites. Scanning electron microscopy shows spontaneously formed regular foam structures with 84% porosity in TPS-ammonium-treated clay. This does not form in TPS or TPS-natural clay nanocomposites. This result implies that the regular foam formation is due to the ammonium surfactant of clay, which produces ammonia gas acting as an internal blowing agent. Thermogravimetric analysis confirms this deduction.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2334-2337
Number of pages	4
Journal	Nanotechnology
Volume	16
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/16/10/056
Publication status	Published - 01 Oct 2005
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Bioengineering
Chemistry(all)
Materials Science(all)
Mechanics of Materials
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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abstract = "Novel thermoplastic starch (TPS)-clay nanocomposite foams were prepared by melt-processing. The use of urea as plasticizer avoids the cracking of TPS during storage and enhances the dispersion of ammonium-treated clay in TPS. X-ray diffraction shows an increase in the basal plane spacings of both natural and treated clays, suggesting formation of nanocomposites. Scanning electron microscopy shows spontaneously formed regular foam structures with 84% porosity in TPS-ammonium-treated clay. This does not form in TPS or TPS-natural clay nanocomposites. This result implies that the regular foam formation is due to the ammonium surfactant of clay, which produces ammonia gas acting as an internal blowing agent. Thermogravimetric analysis confirms this deduction.",

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AB - Novel thermoplastic starch (TPS)-clay nanocomposite foams were prepared by melt-processing. The use of urea as plasticizer avoids the cracking of TPS during storage and enhances the dispersion of ammonium-treated clay in TPS. X-ray diffraction shows an increase in the basal plane spacings of both natural and treated clays, suggesting formation of nanocomposites. Scanning electron microscopy shows spontaneously formed regular foam structures with 84% porosity in TPS-ammonium-treated clay. This does not form in TPS or TPS-natural clay nanocomposites. This result implies that the regular foam formation is due to the ammonium surfactant of clay, which produces ammonia gas acting as an internal blowing agent. Thermogravimetric analysis confirms this deduction.

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Novel thermoplastic starch-clay nanocomposite foams

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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