Examination of starch preprocess drying and water absorption of injection-molded starch-filled poly(lactic acid) products.

This article focuses on the drying of native maize starch before compounding with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and on the water absorption of injection-molded starch-filled PLA products. The mass loss of starch was examined while drying in a vented oven at various temperatures, and a proposal was made for complete drying. A temperature-dependent mathematical model was established to describe the moisture loss of native starch. The dried starch was mixed with PLA, compounded with a twin-screw extruder, and finally injection-molded into 80 × 80 mm area, 2-mm-thick flat specimens. These specimens were placed into distilled water to analyze the water uptake and the change in mechanical properties and deformation caused by water uptake for 1 month. Another mathematical model was established to describe the water absorption of the specimens. With the proper drying of starch and PLA, a 30 wt% starch content PLA product was injection-molded with significantly higher tensile strength compared with literature data. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]