Polymer base blend compositions containing destructurized starch.

The present invention relates to polymer compositions capable of being formed by heat and pressure into articles having dimensional stability and enhanced physical properties, and to pre-mixes useful for preparing these compositions. These, compositions and pre-mixes comprise destructurized starch and other polymers as described herein.

It is known that natural starch which is found in vegetable products and which contains a defined amount of water can be treated at an elevated temperature and in a closed volume, thereby at elevated pressures, to form a melt. The process is conveniently carried out in an injection molding machine or extruder. The starch is fed through the hopper onto a rotating, reciprocating screw. The feed material moves along the screw towards the tip. During this process, its temperature is increased by means of external heaters around the outside of the barrel and by the shearing action of the screw. Starting in the feed zone and continuing in the compression zone, the particulate feed becomes gradually molten. It is then conveyed through the metering zone, where homogenization of the melt occurs, to the end of the screw. The molten material at the tip can then be treated further by injection molding or extrusion or any other known technique to treat thermoplastic melts, to obtain shaped articles.

This treatment, which is described in the European Patent Application No. 84 300 940.8 (Publication No. 118 240) which is incorporated herein by reference, yields an essentially destructurized starch. As described in the above mentioned patent, the reason for this is that the starch is heated above the glass transition and the melting temperatures of its components. As a consequence, a melting and disordering of the molecular structure of the starch granules takes place, so that an essentially destructurized starch is obtained. The expression "destructurized starch" defines starch obtained by such thermoplastic melt formation. Reference is also made to European Patent Applications No. 88810455.1 (Publication No. 298,920), No. 88810548.3 (Publication No. 304,401) and No. 89810046.6 (Publication No. 326,517) which further describe destructurized starch, methods for making it, and uses of it. These application are also incorporated herein by reference.

It is preferred that the destructurized starch used in the present invention has been heated to a high enough temperature and for a time long enough so that the specific endothermic transition analysis as represented by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicates that a specific relatively narrow peak just prior to oxidative and thermal degradation has disappeared, as described in the above-mentioned European Patent Application No. 89810046.6 (Publication No. 326 517).

Destructurized starch is a new and useful material for many applications. An important property is its biodegradability. In humid air, however, destructurized starch takes up water from the air, thereby increasing its moisture content. As a consequence, a shaped article made from destructurized starch may under such conditions lose its dimensional stability. On the other hand such an article may dry out in low humidity and become brittle.

Thermoplastic starch has unique properties and while these are very useful, they may limit its utility in cases where a softer, more resilient or harder, tougher polymer is desired.

Thermoplastic starch as mentioned can be extruded and molded into numerous useful shapes and profiles. However, the processing parameters such as water content, temperature, and pressure are generally critical and must be narrowly controlled to achieve reproducible quality products. This is a further disadvantage for many applications.

To overcome these potential limitations, it would be useful to increase the dimensional stability over a wide humidity range; to increase the toughness (measured as break energy); to increase the elasticity (measured as elongation); to decrease polymer stiffness (measured as Young's modulus) and increase the hardness.

Broadening processing latitude increases the variety of shapes and composites and decreases the need for close controls. It would therefore also be useful to improve the control of the melt strength, e.g. increasing the processing latitude for extruding, injection molding, film blowing or fiber drawing and to control the surface tack and adhesion to other substrates.

Conventional thermoplastic materials are hydrophobic, substantially water-insoluble polymers which are conventially processed in the absence of water and volatile materials. Starch to the contrary forms a melt in the presence of water but decomposes at elevated temperature, i.e. around 240°C. It was therefore expected that such a starch melt could not be used as a thermoplastic component together with hydrophobic, substantially water-insoluble polymeric materials not only because starch forms a melt in the presence of water as described above, but also because of its chemical structure and hydrophilic nature.

It has now been found that starch, when heated in a closed volume at proper moisture and temperature conditions, as described above, to form a melt of destructurized starch, is substantially compatible in its processing with melts formed by hydrophobic substantially water insoluble thermoplastic polymers and that the two types of molten materials show an interesting combination of properties, especially after the melt has solidified.

One very important aspect is the surprisingly improved dimensional stability of such destructurized starch blended with such hydrophobic thermoplastic materials. Such polymer compositions are described in copending European Patent Application No. 89810078.9 (Publication No. 327,505) which is incorporated herein by reference. Although articles made from such compositions possess better dimensional stability than those made from destructurized starch alone, the physical properties of the therein-described compositions are not as good as might be desired for some end uses. In particular, it is important that articles made from destructurized starch compositions retain sufficient strength and dimensional stability to perform their desired function while still being biodegradable after disposal.

It has now been found that articles made from such destructurized starch blended with specific hydrophobic thermoplastic materials as described herein show a surprising increase in all or a part of their physical properties and behaviour of their melts as to overcome the limitations as explained above. Moreover it was surprisingly found that many of the blends described herein show a significantly improved dimensional stability in humid air compared with non-blended destructurized starch whilst retaining a surprisingly high degree of disintegration in contact with moisture water which in consequence leads to a high degree of biodegradability.

In order to achieve such properties, it has been found useful to make polymer compositions comprising: a) destructurized starch, b) at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polymers which contain tertiary amino groups and/or salts thereof and/or quaternary ammonium groups (referred to herein as "component b)"), and optionally c) a substantially water-insoluble polymer different from those defined as component b). In one aspect, the present invention relates to a composition comprising destructurized starch and component b). This composition is useful itself for making finished articles, but it is primarily useful as a "pre-mix" for combining with the substantially water-insoluble polymer. In a second aspect, the invention comprises the ternary composition of destructurized starch, component b), and at least one substantially water-insoluble polymer (component c)). These compositions may be in the form of powdery mixtures of the components, melts, or solid forms. The invention also includes methods for making and using both above-­described compositions and shaped articles made therefrom.

The compositions of the first aspect of the invention comprise: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li>a) destructurized starch, and</li><li>b) at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polymers which contain tertiary amino groups and/or salts thereof and/or quaternary ammonium groups.</li></ul>

Such polymer composition may optionally contain further additives.

Specifically, the first aspect of the present invention is a polymer composition capable of being formed into articles having substantial dimensional stability comprising: <ul id="ul0002" list-style="none"><li>a) destructurized starch, and</li><li>b) at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polymers which contain tertiary amino groups and/or salts thereof and/or quaternary ammonium groups; said polymer being present in an amount effective to enhance the physical properties of said articles (which amount is sometimes referred to herein as an "effective amount" of component b).</li></ul>

Preferably this polymer composition additionally comprises at least one component c): <ul id="ul0003" list-style="none"><li>c) a substantially water-insoluble thermoplastic polymer which does not fall within the definition of those compounds defined herein as component b).</li></ul>

The present invention includes said polymer compositions in the form of powdery mixtures of their components, in the form of melts, or in solidified form.

Component b) is chosen as described herein to be substantially compatible with the starch and also to promote the compatibility of component c) with the combination of starch and component b).

The present invention further refers to a method of producing said polymer compositions in the molten or solid form as well as a method of producing shaped articles from said polymer compositions, and to the resulting shaped articles made therefrom.

The polymer compositions of the present invention are prepared by admixing destructurized starch, component b) and optionally component c), and any further additives. This mixture is then heated in a closed volume to elevated temperatures until a homogeneous melt is obtained, and shaped articles can be formed therefrom.

An alternate method of producing the polymer compositions of the present invention comprises: Heating starch, which is in a condition to be destructurized, in a closed volume to elevated temperatures and at elevated pressures for a time sufficient to destructurize the starch and form a melt; adding component b) as well as other polymers and/or additives before, during or after such starch destructurization; and continuing to heat the mixture until a homogenous melt is obtained. It is preferred that component b) and, if desired, component c), as well as other additives be combined with the starch and the combination formed into a melt. The starch in this combination may be already wholly or partially destructurized or the destructurization may take place during melt formation.

The present invention further refers to the process of working said polymer composition under controlled water content, temperature and pressure conditions as a thermoplastic melt wherein said working process is any known process, such as, for example injection molding, blow molding, extrusion, coextrusion, compression molding, vacuum forming, thermoforming or foaming. All of these processes are collectively referred to herein as "forming".

The components b) and c) may contain "functional group" which include known polar groups that may be bound to a polymer chain such as, for example, hydroxy, alkoxy, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, alkyl carboxy, halo, pyrrolidono, and the like. These groups should be selected from those which will not react with the amino groups present and will not degrade the starch.

The term "starch" as used herein includes chemically substantially non-modified starches as for example carbohydrates of natural, vegetable origin, composed mainly of amylose and/or amylopectin. They can be extracted from various plants, examples being potatoes, rice, tapioca, corn (maize), pea, and cereals such as rye, oats and wheat. Preferred is starch made from potatoes, corn, wheat or rice. Mixtures of starch obtained from these sources are contemplated. It further includes physically modified starches such as gelatinized or cooked starches, starches with a modified acid value (pH), e.g. where acid has been added to lower their acid value to a range of about 3 to about 6. Further included are starches, e.g. potato starch, in which the divalent ions like Ca⁺² or Mg⁺²-ions associated with the phosphate groups have been partially or completely washed out from the starch or optionally wherein the ions present in the starch have been replaced partially or wholly by the same or different mono- or polyvalent ions. It further includes pre-extruded starches, as described in the above-referenced European Patent Application No. 88810548.3 (Publication No. 304,401).

As described above, it has been found that starches, e.g. with a water content within the range of about 5 to about 40% by weight based on the weight of the composition, undergo a specific narrow endothermic transition on heating to elevated temperatures and in a closed volume just prior to the endotherm change characteristic of oxidative and thermal degradation. The specific endo­thermic transition can be determined by differential scanning calorimetric analysis (DSC) and is indicated on the DSC-diagram by a specific relatively narrow peak just prior to the endotherm characteristic of oxidative and thermal degradation. The peak disappears as soon as the mentioned specific endothermic transition has been undergone. The term "starch" includes also treated starches wherein said specific endothermic transition has been undergone. Such starch is described in the EP 89810046.6 (Publication No. 326,517).

Although at the current time, destructurization of starch requires the presence of water in ranges disclosed herein, the present inventive compositions also contemplate the use of destructurized starch prepared by other methods, e.g. without the use of water.

The water content of such a starch/water composition is preferably about 5 to about 40 % water by weight of the starch/water component and preferably about 5 to about 30 %. However, in order to work with the material near its equilibrium water content to which it gets when it is finally exposed to the free atmosphere, a water content of about 10 to about 22 %, preferably of about 14 to about 18 % by weight calculated based on the starch/water component should be used in processing and is preferred.

The polymer of the component b) is preferably a synthetic polymer, as obtained by the polymerization of monomers containing tertiary amino groups and/or salts thereof and/or quarternary amino groups such as poly(2-vinyl pyridine); poly(4-vinyl pyridine); polyvinyl carbazole, 1-vinyl imidazole and/or salts thereof and/or their quarternized derivatives as well as with other polymers as are obtained by copolymerization of such amines with other monomers such as acrylonitrile, butylmethacrylate, styrene and other known monomers. Although such copolymers and their derivatives are known, care must be taken in the case of salts, such as the salts with HCl or H₂SO₄ to avoid undesired secondary or alternative reactions. These limitations are known to those skilled in the art.

The expression amine salts includes the salts formed with an inorganic or organic acid, e.g. salts with inorganic or organic acids such as HCl, H₂SO₄, and acetic acid. The expression "quaternized derivative" reps. "quaternary ammonium groups" means quaternized derivatives of tertiary amines, e.g. quaternized with an alkyl halide such as methyl chloride.

Such obtained repeating units in the polymer of component b) can be exemplified by the following formula: -(CH₂ - <img file="EP0404728A2_D0001.tif" />H)-      (I) R + NR₁R₂; -<img file="EP0404728A2_D0002.tif" />R₁R₂R₃A^⊖, wherein R₁ and R₂ together represent a pyridine residue; a carbazyl residue; an imidazolyl residue. R₃ is H or alkyl (C₁ - C₂₁), A^⊖ = an anion.

The polymers of component b) may have a general formula wherein the number of repeating units varies for each individual type of copolymer and is known <u style="single">per se</u> as e.g. described in "Encyclopaedia of Polymer Science and Technology, Interscience Publ. Vol. 14, 1971." These copolymers may be described by the following general formulas incorporating the mer units described above. The units within the brackets represent the individual mer units within each copolymer. These units may be combined in any known fashion, including random or block copolymerization. The molecular weight of the copolymer may be within known ranges. <chemistry id="chem0001" num="0001"><img file="EP0404728A2_D0003.tif" /></chemistry>

Preferred polymers of the compound b) are those derived from 2-vinyl-pyridine; 4-vinyl pyridine and vinyl carbazole.

Preferred copolymers of the component b) are those which can be described as being derived from 4-vinyl pyridine (I, R=pyridine residue), acrylonitrile (II), butyl methacrylate (III), styrene (IV). Such copolymer types correspond to compounds of the formulas (II) to (IV) which are preferred.

As mentioned above, the polymer composition comprising the components a) and b) optionally contains one or more essentially water-insoluble hydrophobic polymers (component c), as well as further additives.

The component c) is an essentially water-insoluble polymer or a mixture of such essentially water-insoluble polymers. Component c) is preferably present in an amount effective to enhance the physical properties of articles made from the composition of the invention (which amount is sometimes referred to herein as an "effective amount" of component c)).

As used herein an "essentially water-insoluble thermoplastic polymer" is a polymer which preferably absorbs water at a rate of less than 10 %, preferably less than 5 % per 100 grams of the polymer at room temperature and preferably at a rate of less than 2 % per 100 grams of the polymer at room temperature.

Examples of essentially water-insoluble thermoplastic materials are polyolefines, such as polyethylene (PE), polyisobutylenes, polypropylenes; vinyl polymers such as poly(vinyl acetates); polystyrenes; polyacrylonitriles (PAN); essentially water-insoluble polyacrylates or polymethacrylates; polyacetals; thermoplastic polycondensates such as polyamides (PA), polyesters, polyurethanes, polycarbonates, poly(alkylene terephthalates); polyarylethers and thermoplastic polyimides; and high molar-mass, essentially water-insoluble or crystallizable poly(alkylene oxides) such as polymers or copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide.

Further included are essentially water-insoluble thermoplastic copolymers known such as alkylene/vinyl ester-copolymers preferably ethylene/vinyl acetate-copolymers (EVA); ethylene/vinyl alcohol-copolymers (EVAL); alkylene/acrylates or methacrylate copolymers preferably ethylene/acrylic acid copolymers (EAA); ethylene/ethyl acrylate-copolymers (EEA); ethylene/methyl acrylate-copolymers (EMA); ABS-­copolymers; styrene/acrylonitrile-copolymers (SAN); acrylic acid esters/acrylonitrile copolymers; acrylamide/acrylonitrile copolymers; block copolymers of amide-ethers, amide-esters; block copolymers of urethane-ethers, urethane-esters; as well as mixtures thereof.

Preferred from these are those which undergo melt formation at a set processing temperature preferably within the range of 95°C to 260°C, preferably within the range of 95°C to 220°C and more preferably within the range of 95°C to 190°C.

Preferred from these are further those polymers containing polar groups such as ether, amide, or urethane groups. Such polymers include e.g. copolymers of ethylene, propylene or isobutylene with vinyl compounds such as, ethylene/vinyl alcohol-copolymers (EVAL), styrene/acrylonitrile-copolymers (SAN); block copolymers of amide-ethers, amide-esters; block copolymers of urethane-ethers, urethane-esters; as well as their mixtures.

Such essentially water-insoluble thermoplastic polymers may be added in any desired amount as described herein.

Such polymers may be used in any known form. Their molecular weight is also generally known in the art. It is also possible to use such polymers of relatively low molecular weight (oligomers). Which molecular weight to chose is a matter of optimization and known to the one skilled in the art.

In the composition according to this invention, the two components a) and b) or the three components a), b) and c) always add up to 100 % and the values of the components (in %) given hereinbelow refer to this sum of 100 %.

The ratio of destructurized starch to the component b) and optionally to the sum of the components b) and c) can be 1:99 to 99:1. It is however preferred that the destructurized starch contributes noticeably to the properties of the final material. Therefore, it is preferred that the destructurized starch is present in an amount of at least 20 %, more preferably 50 % and most preferably in the range of 70 % to 99 % by weight of the entire composition. That is, component b) is and optionally the sum of the components b) and c) are present in amounts of about 80 % or less, more preferably less than or equal to 50 % and most preferably in the range of 30 % to 1 % by weight of the entire composition.

Component b) is a relatively polar material. When it functions in the present compositions in combination with component c), it is able to mix more readily with a more polar component c) than with a less polar one. Accordingly, with more polar components c), relatively less of component b) will be required than with less polar ones. The skilled worker will be able to select appropriate ratios of components b) and c) to obtain a substantially homogenous melt composition.

A mixture of 1 to 15 % by weight of the components b) or optionally of the sum of the components b) and c) and 99 to 85 % of the destructurized starch shows already a significant improvement in the properties of the obtained materials. For certain applications a ratio of said components b) or optionally of the sum of the components b) and c) to the destructurized starch component of 1-­10 % to 99-90 % by weight is preferred. If the destructurized starch contains water, the percentage of this destructurized starch component is meant to be the destructurized starch/water component, i.e. including the weight of water.

The starch may be mixed with the additives as named hereinbelow to yield a free flowing powder useful for continuous processing and is destructurized and granulated before it is mixed with the components b) and optionally c) or the other optionally added components. The other components to be added are preferably granulated to an equal granular size as the granulated destructurized starch.

However, it is possible to process native starch or pre-extruded and/or destructurized granulated or powdered starch together with powdered or granulated additives and/or the polymeric material in any desired mixture or sequence.

Thus, it is preferred that the components a), b) and c) and the additives be mixed in a conventional mixer. This mixture can then be passed through an extruder to produce granulates or pellets as one form of shaped articles useful for further processing. However, it is possible to avoid granulating and to process the obtained melt directly using down-stream equipment to produce films, blown films included, sheets, profiles, pipes, tubes, foams or other shaped articles. The sheets can be used for thermoforming.

It is preferred that the fillers, lubricants and/or plasticizers are added to the starch before destructurization while the addition of the coloring agents as well as of the components b), c) and the other additives can be added before, during or after destructurization.

The essentially destructurized starch/water component or granules have a preferred water content in the range of about 10 to 22 % by weight of the starch/water component, preferably 12 to 19 % and especially 14 to 18 % by weight of the starch/water component.

The water content described above refers to the percentage of water relative to the weight of the starch/water component within the total composition and not to the weight of the total composition itself, which would include also the weight of any added essentially water-insoluble thermoplastic polymer.

In order to destructurize the starch and/or to form a melt of the new polymeric composition according to this invention, it is suitably heated in a screw and barrel of an extruder for a time long enough to effect destructurization and melt formation. The temperature is preferably within the range of 105°C to 240°C, more preferably within the range of 130°C to 190°C depending on the type of starch used. For this destructurizing and melt formation, the composition is heated preferably in a closed volume. A closed volume can be a closed vessel or the volume created by the sealing action of the unmolten feed material as happens in the screw and barrel of injection molding or extrusion equipment. In this sense the screw and barrel of an injection molding machine or an extruder is to be understood as being a closed vessel. Pressures created in a closed vessel correspond to the vapour pressure of water at the used temperature but of course additional pressure may be applied and/or generated as normally occurs in a screw and barrel. The preferred applied and/or generated pressures are in the range of pressures which occur in extrusion and are known <u style="single">per se</u>, e.g. from 5 to 150 x 10⁵ N/m² preferably from 5 to 75 x 10⁵ N/m² and most particularly from 5 to 50 x 10⁵ N/m². If the thus-obtained composition is just destructurized starch, it may be granulated and ready to be mixed with the further components according to a chosen mixing and processing procedure to obtain the granular mixture of the destructurized starch/polymer starting material to be fed to the screw barrel.

However, the obtained melt in the screw and barrel may be e.g. injection molded directly into a suitable mold, i.e. directly further processed to a final product if all necessary components are already present.

Within the screw, the granular mixture obtained as described above is heated to a temperature which is generally within the range of about 80°C to 240°C, preferably within the range of about 120°C to 220°C and especially within the range of about 130°C to 190°C. Preferably, such mixture is heated to a sufficiently high temperature and for a time long enough until the endothermic transition analysis (DSC) indicates that the specific relatively narrow peak just prior to the endotherm characteristic of oxidative and thermal degradation of starch has disappeared.

The minimum pressures under which the melts are formed correspond to the water vapour pressures produced at said temperatures. The process is carried out in a closed volume as explained above, i.e. in the range of the pressures which occur in extrusion or molding processes and known per se, e.g. from zero to 150 x 10⁵ N/m² preferably from zero to 75 x 10⁵ N/m² and most particularly from zero to 50 x 10⁵ N/m².

When forming a shaped article by extrusion the pressures are preferably as mentioned above. If the melt according to this invention is, e.g., injection molded, the normal range of injection pressures used in injection molding is applied, e.g. from 300 x 10⁵ N/m² to 3000 x 10⁵ N/m² and preferably from 700 x 10⁵ to 2200 x 10⁵ N/m².

Accordingly, the present invention provides a thermoplastic destructurized-starch substantially homogenous melt formed by the process comprising: <ul id="ul0004" list-style="none"><li>1) providing a mixture comprising starch and at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polymers which contain tertiary amino groups and/or salts thereof and/or quaternary ammonium groups (component b); and</li><li>2) heating said mixture in a closed volume under sufficient temperature and pressure for a time long enough to effect destructurization of said starch and form said melt.</li></ul>

The present invention also provides a thermoplastic destructurized-starch product having substantial dimensional stability formed by the process comprising: <ul id="ul0005" list-style="none"><li>1) providing a mixture comprising starch and at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polymers which contain tertiary amino groups and/or salts thereof and/or quaternary ammonium groups (component b);</li><li>2) heating said mixture in a closed volume under sufficient temperature and pressure for a time long enough to effect destructurization of said starch and form a substantially homogenous melt;</li><li>3) shaping said melt into an article; and</li><li>4) allowing said shaped article to cool to a substantially dimensionally stable thermoplastic product.</li></ul>

The mixture provided in step 1) of either above-described processes may additionally contain component c) and additives as described herein.

Various hydrophilic polymers may be used as additives.

These include water-soluble and water-swellable polymers. As such it includes animal gelatin, vegetable gelatins resp. proteins such as sunflower protein, soybean proteins, cotton seed proteins, peanut proteins, rape seed proteins, acrylated proteins; water-soluble polysaccharides, alkyl celluloses, hydroxyalkyl celluloses and hydroxyalkylalkyl celluloses, such as: methyl cellulose, hydroxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethylmethyl cellulose, hydroxpropylmethyl cellulose, hydroxybutylmethyl cellulose, cellulose esters and hydroxyalkyl cellulose esters such as: cellulose acetylphtalate (CAP), Hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMCP); analogous known polymers made from starch; water-soluble or water-swellable synthetic polymers such as: polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polyvinyl alcohols, shellac and other similar polymers.

Preferred are synthetic polymers, most preferred are synthetic polymers such as polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polyvinyl alcohols.

Such hydrophilic polymers may optionally be added up to 50 % based on the starch/water component, preferably up to 30 % and most preferably between 5 % and 20 % based on the starch/water component. If any hydrophilic polymer is added, its mass should be considered along with the starch in determining the appropriate amount of water in the composition.

Other useful additives may be e.g. adjuvants, fillers, lubricants, mold release agents, plasticizers, foaming agents, stabilizers, coloring agents, pigments, extenders, chemical modifiers, flow accelerators, and mixtures thereof.

Examples for fillers are inorganic fillers, such as the oxides of magnesium, aluminum, silicon, titanium, etc. preferably in a concentration in the range of about 0.02 to 50 % by weight preferably 0.20 to 20 % based on the total weight of all the components.

Examples for lubricants are stearates of aluminum, calcium, magnesium and tin as well as talc, silicones, etc. which may be present in concentrations of about 0.1 - 5 % preferably at 0.1 - 3 % based upon the weight of the total composition.

Examples of plasticizers include low molecular poly(alkylene oxides), such as poly(ethylene glycols), poly(propylene glycols), poly(ethylene-propylene glycols); organic plasticizers of low molar masses, such as glycerol, pentaerythritol, glycerol monoacetate, diacetate or triacetate; propylene glycol, sorbitol, sodium diethylsulfosuccinate, etc., added in concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 15 %, preferably ranging from 0.5 to 5 % based on the total weight of all the components. Examples of colouring agents include known azo dyes, organic or inorganic pigments, or colouring agents of natural origin. Inorganic pigments are preferred, such as the oxides of iron or titanium, these oxides, known per se, being added in concentrations ranging from 0.001 to 10 %, preferably 0.5 to 3 %, based on the weight of all the components.

There may further be added compounds to improve the flow properties of the starch material such as animal or vegetable fats, preferably in their hydrogenated form, especially those which are solid at room temperature. These fats have preferably a melting point of 50°C or higher. Preferred are triglycerides of C₁₂ -, C₁₄ -, C₁₆-, and C₁₈ - fatty acids.

These fats can be added alone without adding extenders or plasticizers.

These fats can advantageously be added alone or together with mono- and/or diglycerides or phosphatides, especially lecithin. The mono- and diglycerides are preferably derived from the types of fats described above, i.e. from C₁₂-, C₁₄ -, C₁₆ -, and C₁₈ - fatty acids.

The total amount of fats, mono-, diglycerides and/or lecithins used are up to 5 % and preferably within the range of about 0.5 to 2 % by weight of the total weight of starch and any added hydrophilic polymer.

The materials may further contain stabilizers, such as antioxydants, e.g. thiobisphenols, alkylidenbisphenols secondary aromatic amines; light stabilizers such as UV-absorbers and UV-quenchers; hydroperoxide decomposer; free-radical scavengers; stabilizers against microorganisms.

The compositions of the invention form thermoplastic melts on heating and in a closed volume, i.e. under conditions of controlled water-content and pressure. Such melts can be processed just like conventional thermoplastic materials, using, for example, conventional apparatus for injection molding, blow molding, extrusion and coextrusion (rod, pipe and film extrusion), compression molding, foaming, to produce known articles. The articles include bottles, sheets, films, packaging materials, pipes, rods, laminated films, sacks, bags, pharmaceutical capsules, granules, powders or foams.

For example, these compositions may be used to prepare low density packaging materials (e.g. foams) by well-known methods. Conventional blowing agents may be utilized if desired or, for certain compositions, the water itself may act as the blowing agent. Open cell and closed cell foams may be produced as desired by varying the composition and processing condtions. These foams produced from the present compositions will demonstrate improved properties (e.g., dimensional stability, moisture resistance, etc.) when compared with foams made of starch without incorporation of the components b) and c) according to this invention.

These compositions may be used as carrier materials for active substances, and may be mixed with active ingredients such as pharmaceuticals and/or agriculturally active compounds such as insecticides or pesticides for subsequent release applications of these ingredients. The resulting extruded materials can be granulated or worked to fine powders.

The following examples are provided to further explain and exemplify the invention but not to limit the scope thereof, which scope is defined by the appended claims.

Example 1

(a) 9000 g of potato starch containing 15.1 % water were placed in a high speed mixer and 850 g of poly-4-vinyl pyridine, 76.5 g of hydrogenated fat (lubricant release agent) sold as Boeson VP by Boehringer Ingelheim, and 38.2 g of a melt flow accelerator (lecithin) sold as Metarin P by Lucas Meyer were added under stirring. The water content of the final mixture was 13.6 %.

(b) 10,000g of the mixture prepared under (a) were fed through a hopper into a Werner &amp; Pfleiderer co-rotating twin screw extruder (model Continua 37).

The temperature profile of the four sections of the barrel was respectively 20°C/ 180°C/ 180°C/ 80°C.

Extrusion was carried out with a mixture output of 8 kg/hr (screw speed 200 rpm). Water was added at the inlet with a flow rate of 2 kgs/hr. The water content of the material during extrusion was therefore 28.1 %. In the last section of the extruder 80 mbar reduced pressure was applied to remove part of the water as water vapour. The extrudate going out from the nozzle was cut into granulates using a rotating knife.

The water content of the granulates was 16.8 % as measured after they had equilibrated at room temperature.

(c) The granulates of the pre-blended mixture as obtained under (b) were fed through a hopper to an injection molding machine Arburg 329-210-750 for the production of tensile test pieces. The temperature profile of the barrel was: 90°C/175°C/ 175°C/ 175°C/.

The shot weight was 8g, the residence time 450 sec., the injection pressure 1870 bar, the back pressure 80 bar, and the screw speed 180 rpm.

The tensile test pieces thus produced were conditioned in a climatic cabinet at 50 % R.H. for five days as an arbitrary standard condition.

The test pieces were of standard DIN design (DIN No. 53455).

(d) The conditioned tensile test pieces were then tested for their stress/strain behaviour on a Zwick tensile test apparatus.

The samples were measured at room temperature using an extension rate of 10 mm per minute. Results are presented in Table 1 and compared with those obtained with tensile test pieces obtained from the same starch processed in a similar way but in absence of component b). <tables id="tabl0001" num="0001"><table frame="all"><title>Table 1</title><tgroup cols="3" colsep="1" rowsep="1"><colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="52.50mm" /><colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="52.50mm" /><colspec colnum="3" colname="col3" colwidth="52.50mm" /><thead valign="top"><row><entry namest="col1" nameend="col1" /><entry namest="col2" nameend="col2" align="center">unblended starch</entry><entry namest="col3" nameend="col3" align="center">Example No. 1</entry></row></thead><tbody valign="top"><row><entry namest="col1" nameend="col1" align="left">break strain %</entry><entry namest="col2" nameend="col2" align="right">21</entry><entry namest="col3" nameend="col3" align="right">31.2</entry></row><row rowsep="1"><entry namest="col1" nameend="col1" align="left">break energy KJ/m³</entry><entry namest="col2" nameend="col2" align="right">8800</entry><entry namest="col3" nameend="col3" align="right">11934</entry></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>

Example 2

Example 1 is repeated except that component b) poly-4-vinyl pyridine is increased to 1700 g. The resulting injection molded polymer is tougher and more resistant to humid air than unblended starch polymer similar to the values shown in Table 1.

Example 3

Example 1 is repeated except that 425 g of polyamide-block-polyether (component c) sold as Pebax MA-4011 by Atochem and 425 g of a thermoplastic elastomer polyurethane block polyether (component c) sold as Pellethane 2103-80-AE by Dow Chemical Company are added additionally. The resulting injection molded polymer is tougher and more resistant to humid air than unblended starch polymer similar to the values shown in Table 1.

Example 4

Example 1 is repeated with the change that the following polymers as component c) are added: <ul id="ul0006" list-style="none"><li>a) 1000 g of polyethylene-co-vinyl alcohol (EP-L-101, component c)) containing 73 mol % vinyl alcohol and 27 mol % ethylene.</li><li>b) 800 g of polyethylene-co-vinyl acetate containing 80 mol % of ethylene and 20 mol % of vinyl acetate sold as Escorene UL 02020 by Exxon.</li></ul>

The resulting injection molded polymer is tougher and more resistant to humid air than the unblended starch polymer similar to the values given in Table 1.

Example 5

Example 1, steps a) and b) is repeated with the exception that the water content of the granulate is adapted to 22 %. <ul id="ul0007" list-style="none"><li>(c) The granulates of the pre-blended mixture as obtained under (b) are mixed with 10000 g of polystyrene and fed through a hopper to an injection molding machine Arburg 329-210-750, wherefrom the melt is injected into the open air. The temperature profile of the barrel was 90°C/ 175°C/ 175°C/ 175°C.</li></ul>

A foamed extrudate is obtained which is useful for loose-fill in packaging applications.

The materials of Examples 1, 2 3 and 4 can also be foamed as described in this Example without the addition of further polymer using the method as described hereinabove under step c).