Effect of screw speed in compounding of poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate)/thermoplastic starch blends and their processability by cast extrusion

Blends of bio-polyesters cover a wide percentage of the market share and possess properties comparable to the ones of conventional polymers. Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) is a fossil-based compostable bioplastic, which possess good mechanical properties and processability. Blending PBAT with thermoplastic starch (TPS) allows to lower the cost of the final products and to increase the amount of bioderived material. The influence of the processing parameters on the morphology and on the mechanical properties of PBAT/TPS blends is studied. The compounds were produced via twin-screw extrusion and then films were produced via cast film extrusion. The quality of the dispersion is strongly related to the screw speed adopted during the compounding process. The quality of the film and their processability depend on the parameters adopted during the compounding process.