Stability effects of added biomass on microalgae styrene–butadiene–styrene composites

The effect of added microalgae biomass to styrene–butadiene–styrene triblock composites (SBS) loaded with Chlorella vulgaris and Arthrospira platensis biomass was evaluated by nonisothermal chemiluminescence (CL), infrared spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. The high biomass content of up to 20% for Chlorella vulgaris and 30% for Arthrospira platensis create appropriate conditions for the propagation of oxidation, which is a convenient manner applicable to the degrading digestion of polymer matrix. The chemiluminescence spectra on these ecological formulations indicate the contribution of additives to the optimization of polymer waste disintegration. The degrading activities of the studied microalgal biomass added to the polymer matrix are influenced not only by concentration and source but also by the temperature evolution, which determines the proper thermal regime of material decay. The thermal aging of SBS/microalgal composites progresses peculiarly under the action of various pro-oxidant components. The amplitudes of oxidative conversion of SBS support are discussed with values of main kinetic parameters, onset, and intermediate oxidation temperatures. Although the addition of biomass to the polymer matrix introduces various transformations that affect its thermal behavior, the combined CL and DSC studies indicate that these changes ultimately enhance the polymer’s stabilization. The control SBS composite was the most stable, likely due to its homogeneous structure compared to the heterogeneous mixture in the microalgae SBS composites. Prolonged heating at elevated temperatures (80 °C and 120 °C) can lead to thermal aging and degradation of the polymer matrix, causing changes such as chain scission or cross-linking, which alter the material’s thermal properties.