Processing and characterization of nanocomposite based on poly(butylene/triethylene succinate) copolymers and cellulose nanocrystals

Abstract

[EN] A new class of biodegradable materials developed by a combination of random eco-friendly copolyesterscontaining butylene succinate (BS) and triethylene succinate (TES) sequences with cellulose nanocrys-tals (CNC), is proposed and studied. Polymers and nanocomposite films were prepared by an optimizedextrusion process to improve the processability and mechanical response for flexible film manufacturing.Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) homopolymer and two random copolyesters containing different amountsof TES co-units, P(BS85TES15) and P(BS70TES30), were synthesized by melt polycondensation. The effectof TES and CNC presence and content on the microstructure, tensile properties, thermal characteristicsand disintegration under composting conditions, as well as on the toughening mechanism of the blendswas investigated.Material properties were modulated by varying the chemical composition. CNC were used as reinforce-ment additive and their effect is modulated by the interaction with the three polymeric matrices. Theextruded films displayed tunable degradation rates, mechanical properties and wettability, and showedpromising results for different industrial applications.