Improving crystallization properties of PBSA by blending PBS as a polymeric nucleating agent to prepare high‐performance PPC/PBSA/AX8900 blown films.

Instability phenomena in film blowing of poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC)/poly(butylene succinate‐co‐butylene adipate)(PBSA)/ethylene‐methyl acrylate‐glycidyl methacrylate random terpolymer(AX8900) blends with a high PBSA content was due to low crystallization temperature of PBSA. As a polymeric nucleating agent, poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) was added to achieve a higher crystallization temperature and degree of crystallinity in PBSA/PBS blends (mPBSA). The initial nonisothermal crystallization temperature increased from 34.2 °C (pure PBSA) to 57.1 °C (mPBSA), leading to a significant improvement for film blowing stability of PPC/mPBSA/AX8900 films. High mPBSA content films were successfully prepared. SEM microphotographs showed that films containing mPBSA have flatter surfaces. PPC/mPBSA/AX8900 films exhibited 105% greater elongation at break in the transverse direction as well as improved tensile strength and water vapor barrier properties, which has great potential application as green packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]