Patent ID: 6962950

Claim:
Polymers comprising: A) a hydrophobic polymer matrix formed from a hydrophobic polymer incompatible with starch selected from polymers of group (a) or group (b), wherein the group (a) polymers are selected from the group consisting of aliphatic polyesters, aliphatic-aromatic polyesters, aliphatic polyamides, amide ester copolymers, urethane ester copolymers, urethane amide copolymers, and urea ester co-polymers; and the group b) polymers are selected from the group consisting of ethylene polymers and copolymers, crystalline polypropylene polymers and copolymers, aromatic polyester resins, polyamides, polyoxymethylene resins, polyphenylene oxide resins, and polycarbonates; B) a starch complex further comprising (1) starch and (2) a complexing agent wherein the starch complex is characterized by: being in the form of particles with a numeral average size of less than 1 micron; a second-derivative IR absorption in the region of 940-950 cm −1 ; and a solubility in 100° C. water of less than 20%; C) a coupling agent wherein the coupling agent contains groups compatible with the hydrophobic polymer matrix and the starch complex; and wherein the starch complex is dispersed in the hydrophobic polymer matrix and is bound to the hydrophobic polymer matrix by reactive groups present in the starch complex capable of being fixed to the hydrophobic polymer matrix, with the proviso that, if the hydrophobic polymer matrix is formed from a hydrophobic biodegradable polymer selected from the group (a) polymers; then the complexing agent is a different polymer than the hydrophobic biodegradable polymer that forms the hydrophobic polymer matrix and is also different than an ethylene-vinylalcohol copolymer.