Estudio preliminar de la degradación de mezclas de poli(ε-caprolactona)-almidón compatibilizadas con almidón esterificado Preliminary study of degradation of poly(ε-caprolactone)-starch blends compatibilized with sterified starch

En este trabajo, se llevo a cabo la preparacion de mezclas de almidon de yuca termoplastico (AT) con poli(e-caprolactona) (PCL) 80/20 p/p y usando como agentes de compatibilizacion, almidones esterificados con cadenas alquilicas de 18 y 22 atomos de carbono (AE-n) en una proporcion de 90/10 respecto al almidon. Las mezclas se prepararon por extrusion en fundido, se estudio su morfologia por microscopia electronica de barrido (MEB) pudiendose observar que la PCL constituye la fase continua de la mezcla, mientras que las particulas de almidon constituyen la fase dispersa y ademas que tanto la interaccion entre ambas fases como la adherencia entre ellas, es bastante debil; su comportamiento mecanico fue analizado mediante ensayos de traccion, encontrandose que el empleo del agente compatibilizante no modifica significativamente las propiedades mecanicas de las mezclas. Por ultimo, el almidon contribuye de forma significativa a que la PCL se degrade con mayor velocidad, observandose ademas que el tamano de cadena n-alquilica del agente compatibilizante tambien ejerce un pequeno efecto durante el proceso. In this work, the preparation of blends of thermoplastic cassava starch (AT) with poly (e-caprolactone) (PCL) 80/20 p/p and using as compatibilizing agents, starches esterificated with alkyl chains of 18 and 22 carbon atoms (AE-n) in a ratio of 90/10 with respect to starch. The mixtures were prepared by melt extrusion, their morphology was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), being able to observe that the PCL constitutes the continuous phase of the mixture, while the starch particles constitute the dispersed phase and also that both the interaction between both phases, as the adherence between them, is quite weak; its mechanical behavior was analyzed by tensile tests, finding that the use of the compatibilizing agent does not significantly modify the mechanical properties of the mixtures. Lastly, starch contributes significantly to the PCL degradation faster, and it is also observed that the size of the n-alkyl chain of the compatibilizing agent also exerts a small effect during the process.