| Abstract: | In the present article a series of low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) blends with different amounts of fatty esters of amylose and starch, were prepared in a Haake‐Buchler Reomixer. The tensile as well as the dynamic thermomechanical (DMTA) properties of the blends were measured. It was found that as the amount of the esters increases in the blends, the tensile strength and especially the elongation at break decrease nonlinearly. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to assess the interfacial adhesion between LDPE and the corresponding esters. The incompatibility of the blends was also verified with DMTA and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). From the biodegradation studies of the blends during exposure in activated sludge, it was found that all esters are biodegradable, although to a much lesser degree compared to pure strach. The biodegradation rate of the composites is relatively small due to the low biodegradation rate of the pure esters. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 71: 1089–1100, 1999 |
