Continuous Blown Film Preparation of High Starch Content Composite Films with High Ultraviolet Aging Resistance and Excellent Mechanical Properties

Abstract

Starch/PBAT blown films with high ultraviolet aging resistance and excellent mechanical properties were prepared by introducing lignin with polyurethane prepolymer (PUP) as a starch modifier and physical compatibilizer and 4,4′–methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) as a crosslinker. Starch was modified by reacting the NCO groups of the PUP with the OH groups of the starch to form a carbamate bond. The mechanical properties, hydrophobic properties, ultraviolet barrier, ultraviolet aging properties and microscopic morphology of starch/PBAT films with different contents of lignin were investigated. The results showed that the starch/PBAT films were blown continuously. The addition of lignin did not decrease the mechanical properties. On the contrary, the film with 1% lignin possessed the excellent mechanical properties with longitudinal tensile strength of 15.87 MPa and the elongation at a break of 602.21%. In addition, the higher the lignin content, the better the UV blocking effect. The introduction of lignin did not affect the crystalline properties but improved the hydrophilic properties and sealing strength of the high starch content composite films.

Keywords

• lignin
• film
• PBAT
• high starch content
• ultraviolet aging resistance