Provided herein are starch compositions, which comprise a first starch having a first weight average molecular weight between about 300,000 and about 4,000,000 Daltons, a second starch having a second weight average molecular weight between about 1,000 and about 290,000 Daltons, and a water-soluble polymer. Also provide herein are articles of manufacture and films comprising the starch composition, and methods of making the starch composition.

The present invention relates to biodegradable and compostable granules consisting of natural ingredients comprising starch and thickening and gelling agents and does not comprise bioplastics. According to the invention, the granules are used for producing biodegradable and preferably compostable products and articles of daily use. The present invention also relates to methods for producing the granules according to the invention, as well as methods for producing different products by using the granules according to the invention.

Described herein are blends of starch or starch-based materials with polymeric materials, where the starch or starch-based material is intimately blended with the polymeric material, so as to exhibit very small particles sizes (e.g., less than 2 μm, or less than 1 μm) for the starch or starch-based material in the matrix of the polymeric material. Such intimate dispersion of very small particles provides for far more of the particles dispersed more evenly throughout the matrix of the polymeric material, which may enhance various performance characteristics of the blended composite material. Methods of producing articles from such blends exhibiting such small particles and excellent dispersion are also disclosed.

A method and a mineral wool product include a multiple of lamellae, such as a sandwich panel core. The product includes a plurality of lamellae cut from a mineral wool web, and bonded together by applying an adhesive on the surfaces of two adjacent lamellae to form a web-like product, wherein the adhesive comprises at least one hydrocolloid.

A binder has at least one isocyanate and at least one biopolymer mixed with water. The biopolymer may be a biopolymer nanoparticle or cooked and chemically modified starch. Optionally, the binder may also include urea. The biopolymer and water are mixed, and the isocyanate is added to the mixture. The binder may have a viscosity that is suitable for being sprayed on a substrate to make a composite material, for example a viscosity of 700 cP or less or 500 cP or less at 40° C. The substrate may be wood, another lignocellulosic material, or synthetic or natural fibers. In particular examples, the binder is used to make no added formaldehyde wood composites including particle board and fiberboard. Alternatively, the binder may have a higher viscosity and be used to make plywood.

The present invention relates to new aqueous curable binder compositions comprising a carbohydrate compound, a first cross linker and a second cross linker different from the first capable of undergoing radical polymerization and possibly a free radical initiator.

A process for making a starch-based resin from a starch-based plant feed stock generally comprising the steps of extracting starch content from prepared feed stock, preparing a dried starch from the extracted starch content that may be polymerized in a reactor with a catalytic material, a petroleum-based plastic resin, a quantity of glycerol, and an oil which is high in free hydrogen, and partially cross-linking the polymerized starch with a petroleum-based plastic resin to form a starch-based resin that may be used to produce starch-based film and bag products and other articles of manufacture that have unique degradation properties is disclosed herein.

A composite material is formed by combining an expandable polymer having a charge with another polymer having an opposite charge to produce. In particular, the composite material can be prepared by combining the polymers with a medium such as and water, and expanding the mixture using a treatment that expands the mixture to produce, for example, insoluble porous foam-like composites.

Particles having excellent touch properties are achieved with a water-soluble material having excellent biodegradability. Particles according to the present invention contain a starch having an amylopectin content of 90% by weight or more. The average particle diameter d.sub.1 of the panicles is 0.5 to 20 μm, and the maximum particle diameter d.sub.2 is less than 30 μm while being within 3.0 times the average particle diameter.

In the present invention, biodegradable nanocomposites are introduced which include nanoclay particles, titanium dioxide nanoparticles, polyethylene, polypropylene, starch as a biopolymer, maleic anhydride and glycerol. The obtained nanocomposites have very high physical, mechanical and antimicrobial properties. Proper dispersion and distribution of nanoparticles in composite substrate would help in improving the quality of the product to a great extent. The presence of polypropylene next to polyethylene would eliminate the weak points of polyethylene/biopolymer composite as polypropylene helps to modify the physical and engineering properties of nanocomposites in the presence of nanoclay. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles have antimicrobial properties and would result in products which are useful for food and pharmaceutical industries. Another important aspect of this invention is the production of samples in one step by reaction extrusion method.