RESUMO
Starch a natural polymer that is characterized by cheap, regenerative, and good biodegradation is generally mixed with low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystryrene to prepare degradable materials. In order to relieve "white pollution" due to undegradability of plastic materials, starch is mixed with polyvinyl alcohol, polylactic acid, poly-hydroxybutyric acid, polycaprolactone, chitosan, derivatives, and other degradable polymers to prepare fully degradable biomaterials. With gradual exhaustion of petroleum and progressive depravation of environmental quality, starch that is regarded as a reinforcing agent is widely used in rubber industry. Starch is characterized by hydrophilicity, difficulty in processing, and poor compatibility to plastic materials, rubber, and other polymers, so starch is firstly modified and then mixed with polymers to make starch. This study was designed to summarize the application of starch in plastic materials, rubber, and other polymer blends and to investigate the latest research progresses of starch in polymer materials.
