Mouldable biodegradable polymer
A biodegradable injection mouldable polymer composition including on a dry weight basis from 45-85% w/w by weight of a starch and/or a modified high amylose starch, from 2-15% w/w by weight of a water soluble polymer preferably selected from polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate and copolymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohol which have a melting point compatible with the molten state of the starch components, and from 5-45% w/w by weight of one or more polyol plasticizers having a molecular weight in the range of 50-6000, more preferably 50-2500, and still more preferably 100-400 and preferably selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, glycerol, maltitol, xylitol, mannitol, erythritol, polyglycerol, glycerol trioleate, tributyl citrate, acetyl tri-ethyl citrate, glyceryl triacetate, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate, polyethylene oxide, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol or polyethylene glycol; more preferably glycerol, maltitol, sorbitol, erythritol and xylitol. The composition is preferably substantially soluble in water.
1. A biodegradable injection mouldable polymer composition including on a dry weight basis:
a) from 35.7-42.4% w/w by weight of a starch and/or a modified high amylose starch,
b) from 4.2-4.9% w/w by weight of a water soluble polymer,
c) from 15-17.5% w/w by weight of three or more polyol plasticizers having a molecular weight in the range of 50-6000,
wherein the composition includes 30-40% w/w polyester grafted or ungrafted to the starch backbone.
2. A composition as claimed in claim 1 further comprising 0.5-60% w/w filler.
3. A composition as claimed in claim 2 wherein the filler is an inorganic filler.
4. The composition of claim 2 , wherein said filler is silica, talc, chitin, wollastonite, glass fiber, or nanoparticles.
5. A composition as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the composition comprises 20-50% w/w filler.
6. A composition as claimed in claim 1 also including on a dry basis 0.1-5.0% w/w of one or more C12-22 fatty acids or salts.
7. A composition as claimed in claim 1 including 0.2-3.0% w/w emulsifier having a hydrophilic lipophilic balance (HLB) value between 1 and 22.
8. A composition of claim 1 wherein the composition is soluble in water.
9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said water soluble polymer is polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, or copolymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohol which have a melting point compatible with the molten state of the starch components.
10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said molecular weight is 50-2500.
11. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said molecular weight is 100-400.
12. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said three or more polyol plasticizers are at least three of sorbitol, glycerol, maltitol, xylitol, mannitol, erythritol, polyglycerol, glycerol trioleate, tributyl citrate, acetyl tri-ethyl citrate, glyceryl triacetate, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate, polyethylene oxide, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol or polyethylene glycol.
13. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said three or more polyol plasticizers are at least three of glycerol, maltitol, sorbitol, erythritol, or xylitol.
14. A composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polyester is polyisobutylene adipate-co-terephthalate or polybutylene adipate succinate.
15. An injection moulded product formed from a resin composition including on a dry weight basis:
a) from 35.7-42.4% w/w by weight of a starch and/or a modified high amylose starch,
b) from 4.2-4.9% w/w by weight of a water soluble polymer,
c) from 15-17.5% w/w by weight of three or more polyol plasticizers having a molecular weight in the range of 50-6000,
wherein the composition includes 30-40% w/w polyester grafted or ungrafted to the starch backbone.
16. The composition of claim 15 , wherein said water soluble polymer is polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, or copolymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohol which have a melting point compatible with the molten state of the starch components.
17. The composition of claim 15 , wherein said molecular weight is 50-2500.
18. The composition of claim 15 , wherein said molecular weight is 100-400.
19. The composition of claim 15 , wherein said three or more polyol plasticizers are at least three of sorbitol, glycerol, maltitol, xylitol, mannitol, erythritol, polyglycerol, glycerol trioleate, tributyl citrate, acetyl tri-ethyl citrate, glyceryl triacetate, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate, polyethylene oxide, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, or polyethylene glycol.
20. The composition of claim 15 , wherein said three or more polyol plasticizers are at least three of glycerol, maltitol, sorbitol, erythritol, or xylitol.
21. The injection moulded product of claim 15 , wherein the polyester is polyisobutylene adipate-co-terephthalate or polybutylene adipate succinate.
22. An injection moulded product formed from a resin composition soluble in water including on a dry weight basis:
a) from 35.7-42.4% w/w by weight of a starch and/or a modified high amylose starch,
b) from 4.2-4.9% w/w by weight of a water soluble polymer,
c) from 15-17.5% w/w by weight of three or more polyol plasticizers having a molecular weight in the range of 50-6000,
wherein the composition includes 30-40% w/w polyester grafted or ungrafted to the starch backbone.
23. The injection moulded product of claim 22 wherein at least part of the product is coated with a water resistant coating.
24. The injection moulded product of claim 23 wherein the water resistant coating is shellac, biodegradable polyesters or PLA solutions.
25. The composition of claim 22 , wherein said water soluble polymer is polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, or copolymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohol which have a melting point compatible with the molten state of the starch components.
26. The composition of claim 22 , wherein said molecular weight is 50-2500.
27. The composition of claim 22 , wherein said molecular weight is 100-400.
28. The composition of claim 22 , wherein said three or more polyol plasticizers are at least three of sorbitol, glycerol, maltitol, xylitol, mannitol, erythritol, polyglycerol, glycerol trioleate, tributyl citrate, acetyl tri-ethyl citrate, glyceryl triacetate, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate, polyethylene oxide, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, or polyethylene glycol.
29. The composition of claim 22 , wherein said three or more polyol plasticizers are at least three of glycerol, maltitol, sorbitol, erythritol, or xylitol.
30. The injection moulded product of claim 22 , wherein the polyester is polyisobutylene adipate-co-terephthalate or polybutylene adipate succinate.