Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

An expandable starch-based composition includes a starch, a volatile blowing agent, a non-volatile plasticizer, nucleating agent, and a water-resistant polymer. The expandable starch-based composition can be characterized by having a plasticized starch capable of expanding when rapidly heated to above the boiling point of the volatile blowing agent and the softening point of the plasticized starch. The composition can be used in a method of manufacturing an expandable starch-based bead, wherein the method includes: introducing the composition into an extruder; heating and mixing the composition in order to yield a thermoplastic melt; extruding the thermoplastic melt through a die opening to yield an extruded strand; cooling the extruded strand; and cutting the cooled strand in to beads. The beads can be used in a method of manufacturing a biodegradable article, the method includes: providing a plurality of expandable starch-based beads; placing the beads into a mold cavity; rapidly heating the beads to a temperature greater than the boiling point of the volatile blowing agent; causing at least a portion of the expanded beads to adhere together to form an intermediate molded body; and cooling the intermediate molded body to yield the article of manufacture.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim