Preparation and Characterization of Hybrid Composite Film Based on Synthetic and Natural Materials

Low density polyethylene / tapioca starch (LDPE/TS) blends have respectable biodegradation properties and poor mechanical and thermal properties compared to neat LDPE film. The focal target of this study is to investigate the effect of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) loading on mechanical, thermal, and biodegradation properties of LDPE/TS film. LDPE/TS/CaCO3 blend films were prepared using film blown processing. The results indicated that the maximum loading of CaCO3 which feasible to be incorporated into (45:20) LDPE/TS blend is 10% without exertions during film processing. CaCO3 has remarkable effect on mechanical properties of LDPE/TS films in both machine direction (MD) and cross direction (CD). Water absorption capacities of the films were reduced after the addition of CaCO3. Differential scanning analysis shows that more amorphous regions were generated in the blend structure after the addition of CaCO3 into the blend. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis indicated a significant distribution of starch and CaCO3 particle in LDPE matrix, wherever the size of starch particles seems to be bigger than the size of CaCO3 particle.