Abstract: Thermoplastic starch-based materials formed as a reactive extrusion product from one or more starches, plasticizers, with the addition of a diacid, diglycidyl ether, silicone and/or a glyceride additive added during gelatinization of the starch and plasticizer, before blending of such starch-based polymeric material with any other polymer (e.g., polyester biopolymers, polyolefins, polyamides, etc.). Silicones, where added, may alternatively be added after formation of the thermoplastic starch, e.g., as part of a masterbatch, when blending with another polymer. Addition of silicone reduces glycerin migration and smoke generation, particularly when processing such compositions to form nonwovens. Addition of glycerides (e.g., triglycerides) can increase hydrophobicity of the resulting starch-based polymeric material.

Abstract: A composite structure having predetermined temperature/time profiles is made by combining in chemically separate yet intimate thermal relation a plurality of phase change mediums which change phase at differing temperatures in the overall range of the predetermined temperature/time profiles. Each of the phase change mediums changes phase at a different temperature in sequence for defining the thermal storage capacity of the structure and generally approximating the predetermined temperature/time profiles throughout the overall temperature range.