Dual role of epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) as plasticizer and chain extender for biodegradable polybutylene succinate (PBS) formulations
Rosa Turco,
Salvatore Mallardo,
Domenico Zannini,
Arash Moeini,
Martino Di Serio,
Riccardo Tesser,
Pierfrancesco Cerruti,
Gabriella Santagata
Affiliations
Rosa Turco
Department of Chemical Sciences, Monte Sant'Angelo Campus, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Cinthia 4, 80126 Naples, Italy; Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (IPCB-CNR), National Council of Research, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
Salvatore Mallardo
Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (IPCB-CNR), National Council of Research, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
Domenico Zannini
Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (IPCB-CNR), National Council of Research, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy; Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies “Giulio Natta” (SCITEC-CNR), National Council of Research, Via de Marini 6, 16149 Genova, Italy
Arash Moeini
Research Group of Fluid Dynamics, Chair of Brewing and Beverage Technology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany
Martino Di Serio
Department of Chemical Sciences, Monte Sant'Angelo Campus, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Cinthia 4, 80126 Naples, Italy; Consorzio Interuniversitario di Reattività Chimica e Catalisi, via Celso Ulpiani 27, 70126 Bari, Italy
Riccardo Tesser
Department of Chemical Sciences, Monte Sant'Angelo Campus, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Cinthia 4, 80126 Naples, Italy; Consorzio Interuniversitario di Reattività Chimica e Catalisi, via Celso Ulpiani 27, 70126 Bari, Italy
Pierfrancesco Cerruti
Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (IPCB-CNR), National Council of Research, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy; Corresponding author.
Gabriella Santagata
Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (IPCB-CNR), National Council of Research, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
This work reports the effect of 1–5 wt% epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) addition on the thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties of polybutylene succinate (PBS). ESO acts as a chain extender as well as a mild plasticizer of PBS. N-methylimidazole (NMI) is used as a catalyst to promote the reaction between PBS and ESO, and thermal, rheological, and spectroscopic analyses demonstrate increased viscoelastic properties, compatibility, crystallinity and thermal stability of the melt reacted formulations. In the presence of NMI, storage modulus (G’) values two orders of magnitude higher than that of pure PBS are achieved, confirming the completion of the chain extension reaction. A drastic refinement of the biphasic structure of the blend is observed, with the formation of a homogenous structure where ESO is well incorporated into the matrix. Finally, tensile tests reveal enhanced mechanical performance in the blends reacted in the presence of NMI. These findings pave the way for the development of a versatile family of materials which could find potential application in sustainable biodegradable packaging.
