Effect of starch ratio and compatibilization on the viscoelastic behavior of POE/starch blends

In this research, polyolefin elastomers (POE)/starch blends were prepared using an internal mixer with 0 to 55 wt% starch content, and MAH was added into POE/starch blend to prepare a composite that improves its biodegradation, while tuning the viscoelastic behavior and morphology. The effect of the composition and the compatibilizer addition on properties, such as morphology, rheology, and the creep behavior, was investigated. The observations of microstructures through thescanning electron microscope (SEM) showed that in the incompatibilized blends, the interfacial adhesion of the phases was very weak. In contrast, in compatibilized samples, the broken surface of starch was observed confirming the enhanced interfacial tension. Additionally, the increase in the starch content led to the rise in the relaxation times. The creep test results revealed that with the increment of starch content, the creep of the blends increased. The compatibilizer improved the creep recovery of the blends. Moreover, by addition of the compatibilizer, the values of the creep parameters including η, E₁, E_2, and τ_R obtained from the standard linear solid model (SLS), was higher than those for the incompatibilized blends. The addition of POE-MA compatibilizer can improve the properties of POE/starch blends, while keeping their biocompatibility. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48877.