Peroxide modification of poly(butylene adipate-co-succinate)

We attempted to introduce crosslinking into poly(butylene adipate-co-succinate) (PBAS) to improve the properties, such as the mechanical strength and elasticity, by a simple addition of dicumyl peroxide (DCP). Prior to curing, the thermal stability of PBAS was investigated. Above 170 degreesC PBAS was severely degraded, and the degradation could not be successfully stabilized by an antioxidant, The PBAS was effectively crosslinked by DCP, and the gel fraction increased as the DCP content increased. A major structure of the crosslinked PBAS was an ester and aliphatic group. The tensile strength and elongation of PBAS were improved with an increasing content of DCP, but there was little affect on the tear strength. The biodegradability of crosslinked PBAS was not seriously deteriorated. A higher degree of crosslinking gave a lower heat of crystallization and heat of fusion. However, the melt crystallization temperatures of the crosslinked PBAS were higher than that of PBAS. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.