Starch is a natural biopolymer composed of glucose units, derived primarily from plant sources such as corn, potatoes, and wheat. It is a semicrystalline material that can be processed through gelatinization and plasticization to produce films, fibers, and molded parts with tunable mechanical properties. Starch-based materials are widely used in biodegradable packaging, food contact applications, and agricultural films where end-of-life compostability and environmental impact reduction are priorities; they compete with synthetic plastics (PE, PP, PET) in applications where cost and sustainability matter more than high-temperature performance or exceptional stiffness. The material is also explored in medical textiles, drug delivery matrices, and adhesive formulations, making it valuable for engineers designing eco-friendly alternatives or compostable consumer products.
Compliance & Regulations
| Property | Value | Unit | Conditions | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Compressive Strength(σc) | 7.226 | MPa | — | ||
Elongation at Break(εf) | 74.47 | - | — | ||
Flexural Strength (MOR)(σf) | 45.70 | MPa | — | ||
Hardness (Vickers)(HV) | 838.3 | HV | — | ||
Ultimate Tensile Strength(σUTS) | 10.32 | MPa | — | ||
Young's Modulus(E) | 371.8 | MPa | — |
| Property | Value | Unit | Conditions | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Glass Transition Temperature(Tg) | 332.3 | K | — | ||
Melting Point / Solidus(Tm) | 442.1 | K | — | ||
Maximum Service Temperature(Tmax) | 572.8 | K | — |
| Property | Value | Unit | Conditions | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Refractive Index(n) | 1.493 | - | — |