Effect of Polyethylene Glycol Methyl Ether Methacrylate on the Biodegradability of Polyvinyl Alcohol/Starch Blend Films

Asylzat Iskalieva; Mateyev Yesmurat; Khaldun M Al Azzam; Dana Ainakulova; Yerzhanov Yerbolat; El-Sayed Negim; Mohamad Nasir Mohamad Ibrahim; Yeligbayeva Gulzhakhan

doi:10.3390/polym15153165

Effect of Polyethylene Glycol Methyl Ether Methacrylate on the Biodegradability of Polyvinyl Alcohol/Starch Blend Films

Polymers (Basel). 2023 Jul 26;15(15):3165. doi: 10.3390/polym15153165.

Authors

Asylzat Iskalieva¹, Mateyev Yesmurat², Khaldun M Al Azzam³, Dana Ainakulova⁴, Yerzhanov Yerbolat¹, El-Sayed Negim^{4

5}, Mohamad Nasir Mohamad Ibrahim⁶, Yeligbayeva Gulzhakhan⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemical Engineering, Kazakh-British Technical University, Str. Tole bi, 59, Almaty 050000, Kazakhstan.
² «LF COMPANY» LLP, Zhambyl Region, Village Named after B. Momyshuly, Zhibek Zholy Str., 3b, Almaty 080300, Kazakhstan.
³ Pharmacological and Diagnostic Research Center (PDRC), Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman 19328, Jordan.
⁴ School of Materials Science and Green Technologies, Kazakh-British Technical University, St. Tole bi, 59, Almaty 050000, Kazakhstan.
⁵ School of Petroleum Engineering, Satbayev University, 22 Satpayev Street, Almaty 050013, Kazakhstan.
⁶ School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang 11800, Malaysia.

Abstract

Blend copolymers (PVA/S) were grafted with polyethylene glycol methyl methacrylate (PEGMA) with different ratios. Potassium persulfate was used as an initiator. The blend copolymer (PVA/S) was created by combining poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with starch (S) in various ratios. The main idea was to study the effect of different ratios of the used raw materials on the biodegradability of plastic films. The resulting polymers (PVA/S/PEGMA) were analyzed using FTIR spectroscopy to investigate the hydrogen bond interaction between PVA, S, and PEGMA in the mixtures. TGA and SEM analyses were used to characterize the polymers (PVA/S/AA). The biodegradability and mechanical properties of the PVA/S/PEGMA blend films were evaluated. The findings revealed that the mechanical properties of the blend films are highly influenced by PEGMA. The time of degradation of the films immersed in soil and Coca-Cola increases as the contents of PVA and S and the molecular weight (MW) of PEGMA increase in the terpolymer. The M8 sample (PVA/S/PEGMA in the ratio of 3:1:2, respectively) with a MW of 950 g/mol produced the lowest elongation at break (67.5%), whereas M1 (PVA/S/PEGMA in the ratio of 1:1:1, respectively) with a MW of 300 g/mol produced the most (150%). The film's tensile strength and elongation at break were improved by grafting PEGMA onto the blending polymer (PAV-b-S). T_g and T_m increased when the PEGMA MW increased from 300 to 950. T_g (48.4 °C) and T_m (190.9 °C) were the lowest in M1 (300), while T_g (84.8 °C) and T_m (190.9 °C) were greatest in M1 (950) at 209.3 °C. The increased chain and molecular weight of PEGMA account for the increase in T_g and T_m of the copolymers.

Keywords: biodegradability; blend films; grafting; polyvinyl alcohol; solubility; starch; transparency.

Grants and funding

This research was funded by Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, competition for grant funding for scientific and technical projects 2023–2025. Project No. (AP19676789).