Mechanical Properties and Biodegradation in Seawater of BioPBS/Thermoplastic Starch Composites

Abstract

Biodegradable composites have been designed with biopolybutylene succinate (BioPBS) and thermoplastic starch (TPS) to investigate their mechanical properties and biodegradability in natural seawater. The biodegradability of their composites in seawater was verified by measuring the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in our laboratory using natural water collected from the port of Yurihonjo City, Akita, Japan. The results show the composition of BioPBS/TPS composites that exhibit excellent mechanical properties and marine biodegradability.