Ultrathin Wood Laminae - Thermoplastic Starch Biodegradable Composites

Novel fully biodegradable thermoplastic composite laminates reinforced with ultrathin wood laminae were prepared through a hot-pressing process by using two different thermoplastic starch (TPS) matrices. The microstructure and physical properties of the resulting unidirectional and bidirectional laminates were studied. The investigated materials presented a complex microstructure, in which the porosity of the wood laminae was almost entirely occluded by the polymer matrix. The mechanical behavior of the laminates was strongly affected by the obtained microstructure, and matrix penetration in wood pores led to biodegradable composites with elastic modulus and tensile strength higher than those of their constituents. Finally, thermal welding and thermoformability tests proved how these materials possess features typical of thermoplastic materials.