Water proof and strength retention properties of thermoplastic starch based biocomposites modified with glutaraldehyde

Water proof and strength retention properties of thermoplastic starch (TPS) resins were successfully improved by reacting glutaraldehyde (GA) with starch molecules during their gelatinization processes. Tensile strength (σf) values of initial and aged TPS100BC0.02GAx and (TPS100BC0.02GAx)75PLA25 specimens improved significantly to a maximal value as GA contents approached an optimal value, while their moisture content and elongation at break values reduced to a minimal value, respectively, as GA contents approached the optimal value. The σf retention values of (TPS100BC0.02GA0.5)75PLA25 specimen aged for 56 days are more than 50 times higher than those of correspoding aged TPS and TPS100BC0.02 specimens, respectively. New melting endotherms and diffraction peaks of VH-type starch crystals were found on DSC thermograms and WAXD patterns of aged TPS or TPS100BC0.02 specimens, respectively, while negligible retrogradation effect was found for most aged TPS100BC0.02GAx and/or (TPS100BC0.02GAx)75PLA25 specimens.