Cellulose acetate oleate-reinforced poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) composite materials

Cellulose acetate oleate (CAO)-reinforced poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) composites were prepared by the solvent casting method. The influence of the addition of CAO on the mechanical property, thermal property, disintegration property, compatibility, and hydrophobicity of PBAT/CAO composites was investigated. Compared with PBAT, the tensile strength and Young's modulus of PBAT/CAO with 4 wt% CAO were increased by 9.5% and 25.7%, and the disintegration rate was also increased by 2.8 times. The results of morphological property, contact angle, and water vapor transmission indicated that the PBAT/CAO composites had good interfacial interaction and compatibility, and the hydrophobicity was improved. PBAT/CAO was applied to strawberry preservation, and it showed excellent freshness retention performance. Moreover, a possible degradation pathway for PBAT/CAO composite was proposed. This work provided a way for the preparation and performance improvement of biodegradable materials, which is expected to be applied in the packaging field.