# Characterization of doping polycaprolactone (PCL) and nano calcium carbonate (NCC) into polystyrene (PS) thermoplastic network

## TL;DR

This study examines how adding PCL and NCC to polystyrene affects its mechanical and thermal properties and how it degrades over time.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a novel characterization of PS blends doped with PCL and NCC, focusing on mechanical, thermal, and biodegradation behavior.

## Key findings

- Adding NCC and PCL reduced tensile strength and Young's modulus due to agglomeration and inter-diffusion.
- PCL increased elongation but decreased flexural strength due to its plasticizing effect.
- Biodegradation tests showed PCL was consumed by microorganisms, leading to weight loss and property deterioration.

## Abstract

A series of Polystyrene (PS)-doped Polycaprolactone (PCL) and nano Calcium Carbonate (NCC) blends were prepared using the injection molding and characterized using various techniques to examine the after-effects of blending. Both the FTIR spectra and thermal characteristics proved physical interaction between the ingredients. The tensile strength and Young`s modulus (concerning the mechanical properties) decreased from 40.30 ± 0.852 to 32.78 MPa ± 0.99 and from 3208 ± 45.00 to 2807 MPa ± 30.23 ‘respectively’ as a consequence of NCC agglomeration with increasing its content and the inter-diffusion of lower Young`s modulus PCL within the matrix’s chains. On the other side, the plasticizing action of PCL was responsible for increasing the elongation from 2.0 ± 0.01 to 2.9% ±0.04 and the reduction in the flexural strength from 75.00 ± 0.93 to 47.70 MPa ± 1.45. The biodegradation evaluation readings suggested that microorganisms consumed the PCL, which was responsible for the total weight loss, after 4 months of burial in the soil, and deteriorating the blend’s properties. These results were supported by applying both SEM imaging and mechanical properties testing before and after the degradation.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-23821-2.