Starch-Filled Polyvinyl Chloride Plastics-Preparation and Evaluation

Abstract

Starch was added as a filler to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) formulations to produce plastics that are potentially biodegradable. The most uniform and transparent plastics resulted when the filler was added either by coprecipitating a cross-linked starch xanthate-PVC emulsion or by concentrating a starch-PVC emulsion to produce a dry mixture of the two components. Physical properties of the plastics closely parallel those containing inorganic fillers, except for improved clarity. The starch-filled plastics were readily attacked by a mixture of microorganisms commonly occurring in soil.

Polyethylene and biodegradable mulches for agricultural applications: a review

“…Starch-based polyethylene films were formulated (Otey et al , 1987 and consisted of up to 40% starch, urea, ammonia, and various portions of low-density polyethylene and poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid). Three techniques were used to incorporate large amounts of starch as filler into disposable polyvinyl chloride plastics (Westhoff et al 1974). These films appear to be useful for a variety of agricultural applications (Otey et al (1975).…”

Starch Plastic Packaging and Agriculture Applications

“…The goal was to make the PVC more biodegradable by interspersing starch throughout the polymer matrix. The starch performed well as a filler and promoted the growth of fungi in composting studies (Westhoff et al, 1974). As mentioned earlier, however, only the starch component was biodegradable (Koenig & Huang, 1995).…”

“…Starch xanthates and native starch powders were evaluated as fillers in poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) near the time of Griffin's work (Westhoff, Otey, Mehltretter, & Russell, 1974). The goal was to make the PVC more biodegradable by interspersing starch throughout the polymer matrix.…”

Accelerated and environmental weathering studies on polyethylene-starch blend films

“…The starch content could be as high as 50% by weight. Poly(vinyl chloride) compositions filled with starch 13 or with starch graft copolymers 14 are also readily attacked by microorganisms.…”