Thermogravimetric, Morphological and Infrared Analysis of Blends Involving Thermoplastic Starch and Poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) and Its Ionomer Form

This study focuses on the thermal properties and structural features of blends consisting of thermoplastic starch (TPS) and poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) copolymer (EMAA) or its ionomer form (EMAA-54Na). The aim is to investigate how carboxylate functional groups of the ionomer form intervene in blends compatibility at the interface of the two materials and how this impacts their properties. Two series of blends (TPS/EMAA and TPS/EMAA-54Na) were produced with an internal mixer, with TPS compositions between 5 and 90 wt%. Thermogravimetry shows two main weight losses, indicating that TPS and the two copolymers are primarily immiscible. However, a small weight loss existing at intermediate degradation temperature between those of the two pristine components reveals specific interactions at the interface. At a mesoscale level, scanning electron microscopy confirmed thermogravimetry results and showed a two-phase domain morphology, with a phase inversion at around 80 wt% TPS, but also revealed a different surface appearance evolution between the two series. Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy analysis also revealed discrepancies in fingerprint between the two series of blends, analysed in terms of additional interactions in TPS/EMAA-54Na coming from the supplementary sodium neutralized carboxylate functions of the ionomer.

An Overview of Self-Healable Polymers and Recent Advances in the Field

The search for materials with better performance, longer service life, lower environmental impact, and lower overall cost is at the forefront of polymer science and material engineering. This has led to the development of self-healing polymers with a range of healing mechanisms including capsular-based, vascular, and intrinsic self-healing polymers. The development of self-healable systems has been inspired by the healing of biological systems such as skin wound healing and broken bone reconstruction. The goal of using self-healing polymers in various applications is to extend the service life of polymers without the need for replacement or human intervention especially in restricted access areas such as underwater/underground piping where inspection, intervention, and maintenance are very difficult. Through an industrial and scholarly lens, this paper provides (a) an overview of self-healing polymers, (b) classification of different self-healing polymers and polymer-based composites, (c) mechanical, thermal, and electrical analysis characterization, (d) applications in coating, composites, and electronics, (e) modeling and simulation, and (f) recent development in the past 20 years . This review highlights the importance of healable polymers for an economically and environmentally sustainable future, the most recent advances in the field, and current limitations in fabrication, manufacturing, and performance. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.