Preparation and performance of thermoplastic starch and microcrystalline cellulose for packaging composites: Extrusion and hot pressing.

The microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) used as the fillers, were incorporated into the starch matrix to prepared MCC/thermoplastic starch (TPS) granules by extrusion method blending with glycerol plasticizers. Then the MCC/TPS composite films were produced by the hot-pressing method, which were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, DSC, TGA, tensile test, water vapor permeation and water contact angle. When the loading of MCC was not more than 6 wt%, MCC were well dispersed in composite films seen from SEM images. XRD results show that the crystallinity of TPS in the presence of MCC was improved. The FTIR curves indicate that the interaction between MCC and starch formed more hydrogen bonds, so the tensile strength and water vapor permeation of 6 wt% MCC/TPS composite films were better than those of other films. Besides, the water contact angle of MCC/TPS composite films decreased gradually with the content of MCC increased.