@Article{JRM.2014.634101,
AUTHOR = {A. Terenzi, A. Iannoni, L. Torre, A. Jiménez, J.M. Kenny},
TITLE = {Processing and Characterization of Nano-biocomposites  Based on Mater-Bi<sup>®</sup> with Layered Silicates},
JOURNAL = {Journal of Renewable Materials},
VOLUME = {2},
YEAR = {2014},
NUMBER = {1},
PAGES = {42--51},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/jrm/v2n1/49652},
ISSN = {2164-6341},
ABSTRACT = {The development of new nano-biocomposites has been one of the main research areas of interest in 
polymer science in recent years, since they can combine the intrinsic biodegradable nature of matrices 
with the ability to modify their properties by the addition of selected nano-reinforcements. In this work, 
the addition of mineral nanoclays (montmorillonites and sepiolites) to a commercial starch-based matrix is 
proposed. A complete study on their processing by melt-intercalation techniques and further evaluation of 
the main properties of nano-biocomposites has been carried out. The results reported show an important 
infl uence of the nano-biocomposites morphology on their fi nal properties. In particular, the rheological and 
viscoelastic characteristics of these systems are very sensitive to the dispersion level of the nanofi ller, but 
it is possible to assess that the material processing behaviour is not compromised by the presence of these 
nano-reinforcements. In general, both nanofi llers had a positive infl uence in the materials fi nal properties. 
Mechanical performance shows improvements in terms of elastic modulus, without important limitations 
in terms of ductility. Thermal properties are improved in terms of residual mass after degradation and low 
improvements are also observed in terms of oxygen barrier properties.},
DOI = {10.7569/JRM.2014.634101}
}