Compatibility and mechanical properties of gelatin-filled polybutylene succinate composites

Gelatin nanoparticles (GNPs) with small size (200 nm) have been prepared by two-step solvent removal method using glutaraldehyde as crosslinking agent. The formation mechanism and characteristics were determined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Polybutylene succinate/gelatin (PBS/GEL) and polybutylene succinate/nanogelatin (PBS/GNPs) composites by solvent hybridization were prepared. The dispersion of GEL/GNPs in the composites was observed by scanning electron microscopy, and the hybrid mechanism of GEL, GNPs, and PBS was explored. The results of FTIR and XPS indicated that the ─OH of GNPs was easier to obtain hydrogen bond with PBS. The swelling test showed that the swelling degree of PBS/GEL, PBS/GNPs reached 253 ± 8.65% and 308 ± 10.3% due to their good compatibility. Compared with pure PBS, especially when the ratio of PBS:GNPs was 1:0.75, the crystallinity of PBS/GNPs composites reached 36.43 ± 5.7%, the elongation at break and tensile strength were 49.0 ± 2.94% and 33.3 ± 2.62 MPa, respectively. Overall, GNPs have played an active role in the heterogeneous nucleation of PBS matrix. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48881.