Coco-yam and water-yam starches: As alternative dual purpose polymer ingredients.

Abstract

<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:" calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:="" "times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-theme-font:="" minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:arial;mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:="" en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">Increased elastic modulus and ultimate stress of low density polyethylene has been achieved by incorporating coco-yam, water-yam and guinea-com starches into low density polyethylene using a standard hot-melt compounding technique. Some mechanical properties of compression moulded dumb bell shaped films of low density polyethylene containing up to a maximum of 20 wt % of each starch is reported. Evidence is offered using IR spectroscopy linking the degradation of the low density polyethylene/starch composites in compost to an initial break down of the starch by micro-organism in the soil probably followed by diffusion of unsaturated lipids from the compost into the porous polymer which then leads to degradation by auto-oxidation.</span>