Innovative plasticization technique for talc-powder reinforced wheat-starch biomass composite plastics with enhanced mechanical strength

N -methyl-morpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) was initially created as a plasticizer for starch to produce thermoplastic wheat starch . Subsequently, talc powder was used as a reinforcing filler to enhance the mechanical strength of thermoplastic biomass-based composite plastics. The chemical structure , crystal structure, and microscopic morphology were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy . Additionally, the thermal properties were explored through thermogravimetric analysis , differential scanning calorimetry , and dynamic mechanical analysis . The hydrated NMMO plasticizer demonstrated an outstanding plasticizing effect on starch, resulting in a composite with remarkable mechanical properties. In fact, the pure thermoplastic wheat starch plasticized with hydrated NMMO exhibited the highest mechanical strength recorded so far, with a tensile strength of up to 9.4 MPa. In addition, talcum powder displayed a noticeable reinforcing effect. When the talcum powder content reached 30 wt%, the targeted composite achieved a tensile strength of 20.5 MPa and a Young's modulus of 177.9 MPa. These values were 118 % and 48 % higher, respectively, than those of the pure thermoplastic starch sample. This innovative plasticizing method opens up a new avenue for the development of high-mechanical-strength thermoplastic biomass-based composite plastics with promising potential applications.