Study on the biodegradation of polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate/starch film containing deep eutectic solvent

Poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) has attracted much attention as a biodegradable polymer, but its biodegradation speed is slow. Starch was blended with PBAT to develop daily packing film with high biodegradation speed, and deep eutectic solvent (DES) composed of choline chloride (CHCl)/glycerol (Gly) (molar ratio of 1:2) was used as a novel plasticizer. The hydrophilic starch is in favor of the breeding of microorganisms, at the same time DES can provide energy for the breeding. The degradation was traced in a simulated composting test using kitchen waste. After the PBAT/starch-DES film was buried in a mixture of food residue for 90 D, the relative weight molecular weight (Mw) of the PBAT decreased by about 50%. Furthermore, with the help of DES, the compatibility between PBAT and starch was improved, the PBAT/starch-DES film became more transparent than the PBAT and PBAT/starch film, and its tensile strength reached 7.9 MPa with an elongation at break of 335.6%. This work provided a simple and efficient solution to obtain rapidly degradable films. [Display omitted] •Deep eutectic solvent was used as a novel plasticizer to prepare PBAT/starch film.•The Mw reduction of PBAT/starch-DES film was about 50% after 90D.•Kitchen waste was used to study the biodegradation of PBAT composites.•The tensile strength of the PBAT/starch-DES film reached 7.9 MPa.•The elongation at break of the above film was 335.6%.