Polyol mixtures including mixture of conventional plasticizer glycerol and higher molecular weight
polyol (HP) such as xylitol, sorbitol and maltitol were used to plasticize corn starch by melt-blending
method, and effect of the polyol mixture on the pocessibility, microstructures, thermal stability and
mechanical properties of these starch composites (SC) were investigated. The introduction of HP providing
greater processing torque can dramatically reduce the strong molecular chain interaction in starch
without obvious residual starch granules in the starch composites. The increasing of the molecular weight
and content of HP in polyol mixture is beneficial for the significant enhancement of the thermal stability
and mechanical strength of the starch composite. Meanwhile, the addition of HP besides conventional
glycerol increases the modulus and phase transition temperature of the starch composite too.