Study on the photo-degradation stability of poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate) / TiO2 nanocomposites

A poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate)/TiO₂ (PBSA/TiO2) nanocomposite was prepared by a melt-blending process. The effect of TiO₂ nanoparticles on the photodegradation behaviors of the nanocomposite was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), rheological measurements, and mechanical tests. TEM images of the PBSA/TiO₂ revealed that the TiO₂ nanoparticles were well dispersed in the matrix without obvious aggregation. The FT-IR results indicated that the TiO₂ nanoparticles can block high-energy ultraviolet (UV) light and reduce the degradation of the PBSA matrix. The viscosity analysis results indicated that the TiO₂ nanoparticles inhibited the chain scission of PBSA matrix under irradiation. In addition, the surface of the PBSA/TiO₂ films and their mechanical properties change less than that of untreated PBSA films during the photoaging process. The obtained results imply that the TiO₂ nanoparticles can be considered as an efficient photodegradation-resistant additive to PBSA for reducing photodegradation.