Development of degradable polymer composites from starch and poly(ethyl cyanoacrylate)

Abstract This report describes the development of degradable polymer composites, which can be made at room temperature without special equipment. The developed composites are made from poly(ethyl cyanoacrylate) and starch. Ethyl cyanoacrylate monomers are mixed with starch and the polymerization reaction of these monomers was initiated by dissociated OH^‐ ions from moisture on the surface of the starch. After the polymerization, the body of starch granules acts as filler and the micrometer‐scale gaps formed by starch granules are filled with the poly(ethyl cyanoacrylate). The glass transition temperature of the composite matrix ranges from 106°C to 113°C and thermal degradation begins around 160°C. The polymer composites produced by this procedure contain 50–64 wt% of starch and have compressive strengths of 80 (±10) MPa. Optimum starch composition for these composites is ∼60 wt%. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers