ABSTRACT Thermoformed plastic trays are extensively utilized in the food delivery sector and significantly contribute to landfill waste. The primary constraint on the widespread adoption of bioplastics in this domain is their elevated cost, which diminishes their market competitiveness. This study assessed the processability of compatibilized polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) and polybutylene succinate (PBS) with high talc loadings to mitigate costs. Talc was incorporated at 30 wt% (T733 formulation) and at 40 wt% (T734 formulation) within a PBAT/PBS 70/30 matrix. The blends were produced via twin screw extrusion and subsequently processed via cast extrusion and thermoforming to fabricate trays. These trays exhibit superior mechanical properties, as evidenced by the absence of breakage during compression testing, attributable to the highly flexible polymeric matrix. T734 demonstrated increased rigidity and reduced elongation at break, a consequence of the elevated talc content. Talc enhances the viscosity of the compounds. The measured melt flow rate (MFR) was 1.27 g/cm 3 for T733 and 0.90 g/cm 3 for T734, confirming the thermoformability of both compounds. By incorporating talc into compatibilized blends of PBAT and PBS, it is possible to produce bio‐based trays with properties and costs comparable to those of currently used fossil‐based alternatives.
Genovesi et al. (Wed,) studied this question.