PREPARATION AND ANALYSIS OF A BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER COMPOSITION BASED ON THERMOPLASTIC STARCH REINFORCED WITH STEARIC ACID-MODIFIED MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE

Plastic waste pollution is a global environmental problem. Therefore, the transition to environmentally friendly, biodegradable polymer materials is an urgent challenge for humanity. Thermoplastic starch is one of the most promising alternatives to synthetic polymers due to its availability, biodegradability, and elasticity. However, its limited mechanical strength and poor barrier properties restrict its application in packaging. To address these limitations, cellulose – a rigid and renewable biopolymer – was used as a reinforcing agent and modified with stearic acid to improve hydrophobicity and barrier performance. A TPS/MMCC composite was prepared via melt mixing and analyzed using tensile testing, water absorption, biodegradability, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed the successful surface modification of cellulose. Compared with neat TPS, the composite demonstrated significantly enhanced mechanical strength, reduced water absorption and retained biodegradability. These findings suggest that TPS reinforced with stearic acid-modified cellulose is a promising environmentally friendly alternative to conventional synthetic polymers for packaging applications.

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