Ethanolamine as a novel plasticiser for thermoplastic starch

Ethanolamine plasticised thermoplastic starch (ETPS) was prepared using a novel plasticiser ethanolamine. SEM images show that the native starch granules were destroyed, and the ethanolamine made them come into a uniform continuous phase. FTIR spectroscopy showed that the hydrogen bonds between the ethanolamine and starch molecules weakened the strong effect of starch intermolecular and intramolecular hydrogen bonds. The ETPS successfully restrains the re-crystallization of traditional thermoplastic starch plasticised by glycerol (GTPS), which was proved by XRD. The mechanical properties of ETPS, such as Young's modulus and breaking energy and the water absorption were improved. The glass-transition temperature (T_g) and thermal stability were also studied by DSC and TGA.