Synthesis And Characterization Of Biodegradable Polymers From Renewable Resources

Abstract

Intercalated or exfoliated cloisite 30B has great deal of promises to improve mechanical, newlinethermal, biodegradation and other barrier properties of blended nanocomposites that may newlinebe further improved by augmenting the interactions between polymers matrix and newlinenanofillers. In the present work soya protein concentrate (SPC) has been chosen as the newlinebase polymer matrix, to which four different thermoplastics have been added in presence newlineof cloisite 30B as a functional filler. Using solution cast technique, four different blended newlinenanocomposites have been prepared. They include soya protein concentrate-poly newline(caprolactone) cloisite 30B, soya protein concentrate newline poly (vinyl alcohol) cloisite 30B, soya protein concentrate chitosan cloisite 30B newlineand soya protein concentrate poly (lactic acid)- cloisite 30B. newlineTheir structural analysis was done by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and fourier newlinetransform infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy. The microstructural analysis was done by newlinescanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The newlinemechanical properties were analysed by tensile strength (TS) measurements, the thermal newlineproperties were done by thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning newlinecalorimetry (DSC). And the biodegradation study was carried out using micro-culture, newlinesoil burial and compost burial methods. newlineFor SPC-PCL-C30B, the sample Code 60-40-2 blended nanocomposite exhibited newlinehighest tensile strength of 15.67 MPa which was higher than that of SPC but lower than newlinePure PCL.XRD studies suggested semi crystalline nature of the nanocomposites. SEM newlineand TEM studies suggested partially intercalated structures with higher percentage of newlineC30B load onto the blended composites, that is 60-40-5 sample code, with 5% C30B, newlinethermodynamic incompatibility was observed, but SPC-PCL-C305 (60-40-5) showed newlinegreater thermal stability. The blended nanocomposites underwent biodegradation to the newlineextent of 92% in seven weeks under compost containing acclimatized inoculum. newlineIn case of SPC-PVA-C30B blended nanocomposites, t