High strength plastic from reactive blending of starch and polylactic acids

Abstract

Biodegradable polymers for use in forming high strength, degradable plastics and methods of forming the polymers are provided. Broadly, the methods comprise forming and heating a blended mixture of polylactic acid, a starch, and a linkage group for joining or copolymerizing the polylactic acid and starch. Preferred linkage groups comprise an isocyanate moiety, with diphenylmethylene diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, and isophorone diisocyanate. The reacted mixture can then be formed into the desired final product which has high tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, percent elongation, and thermal stability.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.