Production and Tensile Characterization of Thermoplastic Starch Films Filled with Iron Scrap Powder Waste and Molded on Different Support Materials

This work concerns the application of waste filler, consisting of scrap iron powder as received from machining in a small-scale workshop, in a self-produced thermoplastic starch (TPS) based on corn starch, acidified with acetic acid and plasticized with glycerol. The films obtained had a target thickness of 250 microns. The maximum amount of waste introduced was 0.8% and the material was produced on different supports, consisting either of a glass plate or of a silicone mould.

Tensile testing was performed and the best performance was obtained by the one prepared on glass support, although in general terms it was very far from similar industrial material, not exceeding a 10% maximum strain and being very sensitive to the disposition and geometry of the waste introduced. The value of the work is in the use of waste, which is rarely re-used, and in the possible production of conductive and magnetic biopolymer films.