Fracture and failure of starch based composites

Abstract

Although a huge number of works have been already published about biodegradable polymers, and particularly on starch based materials, most of them have not been specifically focused on their mechanical performance and their fracture behavior is usually disregarded. In order to extend the applications of this type of polymers, their blends and composites, a full understanding of their performance is required. Their ultimate performance properties such as their fracture properties should be deeply analyzed and the different toughening mechanisms operative in these materials responsible for this behavior should be identified. The fracture behavior of these materials affects their resistance during processing, handling and transport, determining the extent to which biopolymers can replace synthetic polymer in many applications. In this chapter, several recent results about the fracture and failure of different starch-based composites including starch reinforced with natural fibers, with carbon nanotubes or with nanoclays are discussed. A summary of these results and future trends on this issue are also presented.