Described herein are methods for increasing strength of blown films, by forming the films using a film blowing apparatus where the film is formed from a blend of a first polymeric material and a renewable carbohydrate-based polymeric material having particular characteristics. By using such a blend, and ensuring that the film blowing apparatus is operated at a high blow up ratio of at least 2.0, and/or using a narrow die gap of no more than 500 microns, Applicant has discovered that increased strength in the film can be obtained, as compared to where (i) the renewable carbohydrate-based polymeric material is not included or (ii) where the film is blown at lower blow up ratios and/or wider die gaps.

A thermoplastic starch (TPS)/polylactic acid (PLA)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) blend modified biodegradable resin is prepared by using a chain extender, and is prepared from the following raw materials: 20-30 parts by weight of TPS; 20-30 parts by weight of PLA; 40-60 parts by weight of PBAT; and 0.5-0.9 parts by weight of a chain extender KL-E. The preparation method is a two-step method: blending the TPS with the PBAT in a twin screw for granulating; mixing TPS/PBAT mixed granules with PLA granules, and dissolving the chain extender KL-E into an ethyl acetate solution. The chain extender KL-E can be uniformly distributed in PLA and TPS/PBAT mixed granules by using a spraying method, and the remaining short-chain molecules and terminal carboxyl molecules in the mixed granules can be changed into long-chain molecules.

The present invention relates to coated particles in which vegetable wax is provided on the surface of starch particles. The coated particles have an average particle diameter d.sub.1 of 0.5 to 20 ?m and a maximum particle diameter d.sub.2 being less than 30 ?m and less than 4.0 times the average particle diameter d.sub.1. The vegetable wax is contained in an amount of 0.5 to 10.0 wt % in the coated particles. Accordingly, particles having excellent feel characteristics and water repellency can be achieved with a natural material having excellent biodegradability. A method for producing coated particles includes: a step of preparing a dispersion that contains 1 to 20 wt % of starch particles; a step of adding vegetable wax to the dispersion and heating and cooling the mixture to precipitate the vegetable wax on the surface of the starch particles; and a step of subjecting this dispersion to solid-liquid separation to obtain coated particles as a solid.

Described herein are methods for increasing strength of blown films, by forming the films using a film blowing apparatus where the film is formed from a blend of a first polymeric material and a renewable carbohydrate-based polymeric material having particular characteristics. By using such a blend, and ensuring that the film blowing apparatus is operated at a high blow up ratio of at least 2.0, and/or using a narrow die gap of no more than 500 microns, Applicant has discovered that increased strength in the film can be obtained, as compared to where (i) the renewable carbohydrate-based polymeric material is not included or (ii) where the film is blown at lower blow up ratios and/or wider die gaps.

Pitch granules including a core made up of a first composition including at least one pitch, the composition having a penetrability at 25? C. of 0 to 45 1/10 mm, a ring-and-ball softening temperature (TBA) of 55? C. to 175? C., understanding the penetrability as measured according to standard EN 1426 and the TBA as measured according to standard EN 1427, and a layer encapsulating at least one portion of the surface of the core, the layer being made up of a coating composition including at least one anti-caking agent.

The present invention relates to coated particles in which vegetable wax is provided on the surface of starch particles. The coated particles have an average particle diameter d.sub.1 of 0.5 to 20 ?m and a maximum particle diameter d.sub.2 being less than 30 ?m and less than 4.0 times the average particle diameter d.sub.1. The vegetable wax is contained in an amount of 0.5 to 10.0 wt % in the coated particles. Accordingly, particles having excellent feel characteristics and water repellency can be achieved with a natural material having excellent biodegradability. A method for producing coated particles includes: a step of preparing a dispersion that contains 1 to 20 wt % of starch particles; a step of adding vegetable wax to the dispersion and heating and cooling the mixture to precipitate the vegetable wax on the surface of the starch particles; and a step of subjecting this dispersion to solid-liquid separation to obtain coated particles as a solid.

The present invention relates to an aqueous barrier coating composition comprising: 20-80% by weight of a dissolved first polysaccharide having a first degree of polymerization (DP1) of at least 150, based on the total solids content of the aqueous barrier coating composition; and 20-80% by weight of a dissolved second polysaccharide having a second degree of polymerization (DP2) of 100 or less, based on the total solids content of the aqueous barrier coating composition; wherein the ratio of DP1:DP2 is at least 10:1; and wherein the aqueous barrier coating composition has a total solids content in the range of 10-90% by weight.

Provided herein are materials comprising a crosslinked polymer and a hydrophobic starch, wherein the crosslinked polymer comprises a first polymer and a second polymer and the first polymer comprises a lignin polymer or a salt thereof, and methods of use and preparation thereof.

Compostable seaweed-based compositions, and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the seaweed-based composition comprises (i) a phycocolloid including agar, alginate, carrageenan, and/or unprocessed seaweed, (ii) a polymer comprising thermoplastic starch (TPS), polycaprolactone (PCL), polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), polyesteramide (PEA), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), polybutylene succinate (PBS), and/or polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), and (iii) an additive, wherein the phycocolloid comprises no more than 90 wt % of the seaweed-based composition, the biopolymer comprises no more than 80 wt % of the seaweed-based composition, and the additive comprises no more than 50 wt % of the seaweed-based composition.

Provided are a water-soluble film that causes less deformation of the package during storage, while maintaining excellent solubility in water, and is capable of suppressing the occurrence of tears and the like, a production method thereof, and a package using the water-soluble film. A water-soluble film of the present invention includes a polyvinyl alcohol resin. The water-soluble film has an amount (A1) of crystalline component of 60% or less and an amount (A2) of constrained amorphous component from 10% to 50%, the amounts being obtained from a spin-spin relaxation curve by .sup.1H pulse NMR measurement of the water-soluble film in deuterated methanol. A ratio (A1/A2) of the amount (A1) of crystalline component to the amount (A2) of constrained amorphous component is preferably from 0.1 to 5.