Biodegradability, mechanical, and thermal properties of thermoplastic starch/cuttlebone composites

This work focused on improvements to the properties of thermoplastic starch (TPS) by using cuttlebone (CB) as the bio‐filler. The effect of CB on the properties of TPS was compared to that of commercial calcium carbonate (CC). The good adhesion achieved between the TPS matrix and the cuttlebone powder produced improvements in the tensile strength of their composites, whereas the tensile strength of TPS/CC composite was lower due to the presence of filler agglomerates. The biodegradation of the TPS and the composites were analyzed by the soil burial test. This showed that cuttlebone decreased the biodegradation rate. The thermal degradation temperatures of TPS, a TPS/CC composite and a TPS/CB composite showed very similar behavior. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:1401–1406, 2015.