A Novel Method for Manufacturing of Poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate)/Thermoplastic Starch Blends With High Performance Based on Chaotic Field

ABSTRACT Low cost, bio‐based, and biodegradable macromolecular thermoplastic starch (TPS) is widely blended with poly(butylene adipate co‐terephthalate) (PBAT) to reduce material cost in agricultural films and food packaging. However, this approach often leads to a significant deterioration in overall performance, especially at higher TPS loading. In this work, PBAT/TPS blends were fabricated using a novel dual‐speed non‐twin screw extruder modified with perturbation ring elements (NTSE‐PRE). The structure and properties of these blends prepared were systematically compared with those prepared by a traditional twin‐screw extruder (TSE). The results demonstrated that the chaotic mixing and tensile force field generated by the PRE contributed to a shorter residence time and narrower residence time distribution, along with enhanced dispersion and distribution efficiency relative to the TSE process. Consequently, the NTSE‐PRE processed blends exhibited a significantly refined TPS dispersed phase and significantly improved interfacial compatibility between TPS and PBAT, which collectively contributed to superior processability and mechanical properties. Specifically, the tensile strength, elongation at break, and tensile toughness of the PRE‐40 were 21.0%, 32.1%, and 39.7% higher than those of TSE‐40, respectively. Moreover, the elongation at break and tensile toughness of the PRE‐60 were 258.6% and 190% higher than those of TSE‐60. This study demonstrates that NTSE‐PRE technology offers a viable industrial route for producing high‐performance PBAT/TPS blends compared with conventional processing methods.