PREPARATION AND STUDY OF NOVEL BIODEGRADABLE BLENDS BASED ON GELATINIZED STARCH AND 1,4-TRANS-POLYISOPRENE (GUTTA-PERCHA) FOR FOOD-PACKAGING OR BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS

The gas and water vapour permeability coefficients of novel biodegrada ble films based on 1,4-trans-polyisoprene and gelatinized starch were determined. The glass transitions, indirectly determined from gas perm eability measurements, were compared to those obtained from thermal me asurements (differential thermal analysis and dynamic mechanical therm al analysis). Incorporation of a low plasticizer amount in the blend w as attempted in order to improve the mechanical properties of the blen ds. Some initial biodegradability experiments showed that these novel blends are biodegradable. This is primarily due to the presence of sta rch. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.