Biodegradability studies of poly(butylene succinate) composites filled with sugarcane rind fiber

Biodegradable composites were prepared from poly(butylene succinate)(PBS) and sugarcane rind fiber (SRF) by melt blending. The effects of SRF content and burial time on the biodegradability of SRF/PBS composites were investigated. Soil burial experiment was lasted 100 days under natural soil conditions. The biodegradability of pure PBS and SRF/PBS composites was evaluated by analyzing weight loss, mechanical properties, morphological properties, melting and crystallization behavior and thermal stability after the soil burial test. The weight loss and the mechanical property loss ratio of SRF/PBS composites were higher than that of pure PBS, and reached a maximum value when the SRF content was 5 wt% after soil burial for 100 days. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) suggested that the degree of erosion of the composites was higher than that of the pure PBS. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG) showed an increase in crystallization temperature(Tc), degree of crystallinity(χc) and maximum weight loss rate temperature(Tmax) after soil burial for 100 days except for the 5 wt% SRF/PBS composites. It is indicated that 5 wt% SRF addition had the maximum impact on the accelerated degradation of PBS. •The weight loss and the mechanical property loss ratio of SRF/PBS composites were higher than that of pure PBS, and reached a maximum value when the SRF content was 5 wt% after soil burial for 100 days.•It is indicated that 5 wt% SRF addition had the maximum impact on the accelerated degradation of PBS.•After soil burial for 100 days, Tc, χc, and Tmax of the 5 wt% SRF/PBS composites decreased, which could be due to the start of degradation in crystalline regions after degradation of amorphous regions.