(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2010/0311905 A1 Mentink Et Al
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US 20100311905A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2010/0311905 A1 Mentink et al. (43) Pub. Date: Dec. 9, 2010 (54) METHOD FOR PREPARING (30) Foreign Application Priority Data THERMOPLASTC COMPOSITIONS BASED ON PLASTICZED STARCH AND RESULTING Feb. 1, 2008 (FR) ....................................... O85O660 COMPOSITIONS Publication Classification (75) Inventors: Leon Mentink, Lille (FR); Didier (51) Int. Cl. Lagneaux, Bluffy (FR); Jerome COSB 3L/00 (2006.01) Gimenez, Villeurbanne (FR) (52) U.S. Cl. ..................................................... 52.5/5431 Correspondence Address: (57) ABSTRACT YOUNG & THOMPSON A method for preparing a starch-based thermoplastic compo 209 Madison Street, Suite 500 sition, includes the following steps: (a) selecting at least one Alexandria, VA 22314 (US) granular starch and at least one organic plasticizer for this starch, (b) preparing a plasticized composition by thermome (73) Assignee: ROQUETTE FRERES, Lestrem chanically mixing this starch and this plasticizer, (c) option (FR) ally incorporating at least one functional Substance carrying functions including an active hydrogen, (d) incorporating at (21) Appl. No.: 12/864,765 least one bonding agent carrying at least two functional groups capable of reacting with molecules carrying functions (22) PCT Filed: Jan. 29, 2009 including an active hydrogen, and optionally (e) heating the mixture to a temperature Sufficient to cause the bonding agent (86). PCT No.: PCT/FR2009/05O131 to react with the plasticizer and with the starch and/or the functional Substance, it being possible for steps (d) and (e) to S371 (c)(1), be carried out simultaneously, and also a starch-based ther (2), (4) Date: Jul. 27, 2010 moplastic composition that can be obtained by this method. US 2010/0311905 A1 Dec. 9, 2010 METHOD FOR PREPARING starch, because beyond this value, the mechanical properties THERMOPLASTC COMPOSITIONS BASED of the composite materials obtained became too imperfect ON PLASTICIZED STARCH AND RESULTING and reduced compared to those of the synthetic polymers COMPOSITIONS forming the matrix. Furthermore, it appeared that such poly ethylene-based compositions were only biofragmentable and not biodegradable as anticipated, so that the expected boom 0001. The present invention relates to a novel method for of these compositions did not take place. In order to overcome preparing starch-based thermoplastic compositions and the the lack of biodegradability, developments were also subse compositions thus obtained. quently carried out along the same principle but by only 0002 The expression “thermoplastic composition' is replacing the conventional polyethylene with oxidation-de understood within the present invention to mean a composi gradable polyethylenes or with biodegradable polyesters tion which, reversibly, softens under the action of heat and such as polyhydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV) or hardens by cooling. It has at least one glass transition tem polylactic acid (PLA). Here too, the mechanical properties of perature (T) below which the amorphous fraction of the Such composites, obtained by mixing with granular starch, composition is in the brittle glassy state, and above which the proved to be insufficient. Reference may be made, if neces composition may undergo reversible plastic deformations. sary, to the excellent book “La Chimie Verte' Green Chem The glass transition temperature or at least one of the glass istry. Paul Colonna, Editions TEC & DOC, January 2006, transition temperatures of the starch-based thermoplastic chapter entitled “Matériaux a base d’amidons et de leurs composition of the present invention is preferably between derives’ Materials based on starches and on their derivatives -50° C. and 150° C. This starch-based composition may, of by Denis Lourdin and Paul Colonna, pages 161 to 166. course, be formed by processes conventionally used in plas 0009 Subsequently, starch was used in an essentially tics processing (extrusion, injection molding, molding, blow amorphousand thermoplastic state. This state is obtained by molding, calendering, etc.). Its viscosity, measured at a tem plasticization of the starch with the aid of a suitable plasticizer perature of 100° C. to 200° C., is generally between 10 and incorporated into the starch in an amount generally between 10 Pars. 15 and 25% relative to the granular starch, by supplying 0003 Preferably, said composition is “thermofusible', mechanical and thermal energy. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,054 that is to say that it can be formed without application of high by Warner Lambert and EP 0 497 706 B1 by the applicant shear forces, that is to say by simple flowing or simple press describe, in particular, this destructured State, having reduced ing of the molten material. Its viscosity, measured at a tem or absent crystallinity, and means for obtaining such thermo perature of 100° C. to 200° C., is generally between 10 and plastic starches. 10 Pars. 0010. However, the mechanical properties of the thermo 0004. In the current context of climate changes due to the plastic starches, although they can be adjusted to a certain greenhouse effect and to global warming, of the upward trend extent by the choice of the starch, of the plasticizer and of the in the costs of fossil raw materials, in particular of oil from usage level of the latter, are overall quite mediocre since the which plastics are derived, of the state of public opinion in materials thus obtained are still very highly viscous at high search of Sustainable development, more natural, cleaner, temperature (120° C. to 170° C.) and very frangible, too healthier and more energy-efficient products, and of the brittle and very hard at low temperature, that is to say below change in regulations and taxations, it is necessary to provide the glass transition temperature or below the highest glass novel compositions derived from renewable resources, which transition temperature. are suitable, in particular, for the field of plastics, and which 0011 Thus, the elongation at break of such thermoplastic are simultaneously competitive, designed from the outset to starches is very low, always below around 10%, even with a have only few or no negative impacts on the environment, and very high plasticizer content of the order of 30%. By way of technically as high-performance as the polymers prepared comparison, the elongation at break of low-density polyeth from raw materials of fossil origin. ylenes is generally between 100 and 1000%. 0005 Starch constitutes a raw material that has the advan 0012. Furthermore, the maximum tensile strength of ther tages of being renewable, biodegradable and available in moplastic starches decreases very greatly when the level of large amounts at an economically advantageous price com plasticizer increases. It has an acceptable value, of the order pared to oil and gas, used as raw materials for current plastics. of 15 to 60 MPa, for a plasticizer content of 10 to 25%, but 0006. The biodegradable nature of starch has already been reduces in an unacceptable manner above 30%. exploited in the manufacture of plastics, in accordance with 0013 Therefore, these thermoplastic starches have been two main technical Solutions. the Subject of numerous research studies aiming to develop 0007. The first starch-based compositions were developed biodegradable and/or water-soluble formulations having bet around thirty years ago. The starches were then used in the ter mechanical properties by physical mixing of these ther form of mixtures with synthetic polymers such as polyethyl moplastic starches, either with polymers of oil origin such as ene, as filler, in the native granular form. Before dispersion in polyvinyl acetate (PVA), polyvinyl alcohols (PVOHs), ethyl the synthetic polymer constituting the matrix, or continuous ene/vinyl alcohol copolymers (EVOHs), biodegradable poly phase, the native starch is preferably dried to a moisture esters such as polycaprolactones (PCLS), polybutylene adi content of less than 1% by weight, in order to reduce its pate terephthalates (PBATs) and polybutylene succinate hydrophilic nature. For this same purpose, it may also be adipates (PBSs), or with polyesters of renewable origin such coated with fatty Substances (fatty acids, silicones, silicon as polylactic acids (PLAs) or microbial polyhydroxyal ates) or else be modified at the surface of the grains with kanoates (PHA, PHB and PHBV), or else with natural poly siloxanes or isocyanates. mers extracted from plants or from animal tissues. Reference 0008. The materials thus obtained generally contained may again be made to the book “La Chimie Verte' Green around 10%, at the very most 20% by weight of granular Chemistry. Paul Colonna, Editions TEC & DOC, pages 161 US 2010/0311905 A1 Dec. 9, 2010 to 166, but also, for example, to patents EP0 579546 B1, EP extend its usage possibilities, it is necessary to mix it 0 735 104 B1 and FR 2697 259 by the applicant which with large amounts, generally greater than or equal to describe compositions containing thermoplastic starches. 60%, of polyesters or of other expensive polymers; and 0014 Under a microscope, these resins appear to be very 0023 a possible premature hydrolysis of the polyesters heterogeneous and have Small islands of plasticized starch in (PLA, PBAT, PCL, PET) optionally associated with the a continuous phase of synthetic polymers. This is due to the thermoplastic starch. fact that the thermoplastic starches are very hydrophilic and 0024. The present