Structural changes of starch/polyvinyl alcohol biocomposite films reinforced with microcrystalline cellulose due to biodegradation in simulated aerobic compost environment |
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| Authors: | Sonakshi Maiti Dipa Ray Debarati Mitra Suparna Sengupta Tanusree Kar |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Polymer Science and Technology, University College of Science and Technology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata 700009, India;2. Email:roy.dipa@ gmail.com;5. Department of Chemical Technology, University College of Science and Technology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata 700009, India;6. Calcutta Institute of Engineering and Management, Tollygunge, Kolkata‐700040, India;7. Department of Materials Science, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India |
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| Abstract: | Starch/Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) based biocomposite films reinforced with micro crystalline cellulose (MCC) (10 wt %) particles were prepared by solution casting method, incorporating glycerol as plasticizer. These biocomposite films were subjected to biodegradation at ambient temperature in a simulated aerobic compost pit. The extent of biodegradation of these films was studied in terms of weight loss. The corresponding changes in the structure of the films were observed using scanning electron microscopy, X‐Ray diffraction study, and differential scanning calorimetry. The melting point of PVA component of the biocomposite film shifted from 204 to 223°C with increase in biodegradation time and a remarkable difference was observed in their melt crystallization behavior. The unreinforced films also showed a similar trend, but the increase in the crystallinity of PVA was more pronounced in MCC reinforced films than that observed in the unreinforced ones. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011. |
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| Keywords: | biodegradation composites differential scanning calorimetry morphology electron microscopy |
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