ABSTRACT Biopolymers are a sustainable alternative to non‐degradable polymers, but their scalability and processability remain challenging. This study explores the esterification and plasticization through a one‐step melt mixing process of bean waste starch with citric acid or maleic anhydride and glycerol to produce thermoplastic starch. Blends of polybutylene succinate (PBS) and modified thermoplastic starch were prepared with 10 and 15 wt% starch dry weight. The effect of the type of esterification on the morphological, thermal, rheological, and mechanical properties and performance of injection‐molded PBS/TPS blends was studied. The thermoplastic starch functioned as a nucleating agent, increasing polybutylene succinate crystallization temperature by 4°C and reducing crystal size by 57.8% compared to neat PBS. This improved morphology, evidenced by narrower voids around the TPS particles, facilitated the overall process. The plasticizing effect of thermoplastic starch reduced the viscosity of PBS from 775.6 to 157.7 Pa·s. This viscosity reduction facilitated injection molding by lowering the processing pressure from 490 to 453 kgf/cm 2 . These findings highlight a synergistic effect between polybutylene succinate and esterified thermoplastic starch, enhancing processability, dimensional stability, and performance. Utilizing modified starch for the injection molding of biopolymers offers a sustainable alternative to fossil‐based polymers with improved performance.
Cruz et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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