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US 5,854,345 AGranted
Biodegradable polyester and natural polymer compositions and expanded articles therefrom
AssigneesThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture, Biotechnology Research and Development Corporation
InventorsWayne Xu, William M. Doane
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Expanded articles have a compressible and resilient body including two biodegradable components. One component preferably is starch or a modified starch. Another component is a water insoluble, synthetic polymer, preferably a hydroxy-functional polyester. The article may be thermoformed, and has exterior surfaces with substantial resistance to moisture.
Claims12
A composition comprising:
- ##STR6## an admixture, the admixture having as the major component a natural polymer and having as a minor component a hydroxy-functional polyester, wherein the hydroxy-functional polyester has repeating units represented by Formula B:
- wherein each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is individually a divalent organic moiety which is predominately hydrocarbon, each R.sup.3 is individually hydrogen or lower alkyl, y is a fraction from 0 to 0.5, and x is a fraction from about 0.05 to about 0.4, the admixture being useful in forming expanded, biodegradable articles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.