Nanotechnology National Laboratory for Agriculture (LNNA), Embrapa Instrumentation, PO Box 741, São Carlos, SP, Brazil; Graduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering (PPGCEM), Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rod. Washington Luiz, Km 235, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
Nanotechnology National Laboratory for Agriculture (LNNA), Embrapa Instrumentation, PO Box 741, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
Carbohydr Polym. 2022 Apr 15;282:119058. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.119058. Epub 2022 Jan 10.
Driven by the environmental stress caused by plastics, the interest on eco-friendly polymers has attracted the attention of researchers and industry. Thermoplastic starch (TPS) and poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) blends are good examples of sustainable material, exhibiting synergism between economic viability and properties. However, its biodegradability aligned to nutrients release has been less explored in agricultural applications. Herein, it is proposed the investigation of biodegradability of urea plasticized TPS and PCL blends, compatibilized with PCL grafted with maleic anhydride (PCL-g-MA), aiming fertilizers and sustainable agricultural products. The blends were prepared in a twin-screw extruder using a flat film die. The mechanical, thermal, morphological, and physical properties of TPS-PCL films were characterized, including biodegradation analysis via Bartha respirometer and nitrogen release in the soil. The films presented biodegradability and nitrogen release as a function of TPS content on blends formulation, presenting flexibility and robust mechanical properties. These findings may open a way of multifunctional agricultural products applied as fertilizer materials through economical and sustainable mulching films.
受塑料引起的环境压力影响，对环保聚合物的兴趣引起了研究人员和工业界的关注。热塑性淀粉 (TPS) 和聚己内酯 (PCL) 共混物是可持续材料的良好范例，在经济可行性和性能之间表现出协同作用。然而，其在农业应用中的生物降解性和养分释放的关系还较少被探索。在此，提出了研究尿素增塑 TPS 和 PCL 共混物的生物降解性，该共混物采用马来酸酐接枝的 PCL（PCL-g-MA）进行增容，旨在开发肥料和可持续的农业产品。共混物在双螺杆挤出机中使用平膜模具进行制备。对 TPS-PCL 薄膜的机械、热学、形态和物理性能进行了表征，包括通过巴氏呼吸计进行的生物降解分析和在土壤中的氮释放。共混物配方中 TPS 含量的变化会影响薄膜的生物降解性和氮释放，共混物表现出了柔韧性和稳健的机械性能。这些发现可能为通过经济和可持续的覆盖薄膜作为肥料材料应用的多功能农业产品开辟了道路。
