Super‐tough biodegradable poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) blends plasticized by glycerol and sorbitol

Tough biodegradable films were prepared using a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) (1:1) blend with plasticizers of glycerol (GLY), sorbitol (SOR), and their (one to one) mixture. We studied the effect of plasticization on the structural, thermal, and mechanical properties of the PVA/PVP blend films. Fourier transform infrared spectra indicated good miscibility of the two components due to the H‐bonding between the PVA and PVP molecules. The addition of plasticizers reduced the interaction between PVA and PVP, evidenced by an increase in the intensity of PVA diffraction peaks observed in the X‐ray diffraction (XRD) characterization. Thermal degradation of the blends increased as a function of the plasticizer used. GLY affected thermal degradation more than SOR and the mixtures. The incorporation of the plasticizers promoted the growth of PVA crystals as evidenced by XRD patterns and the enthalpy of fusion (ΔH_f) obtained by differential scanning calorimetry measurements. The introduction of SOR to the binary blend increased toughness seven times and imparted simultaneous and pronounced improvements to maximum tensile stress and elongation at break. This behavior holds out great promise for the development of a new generation of mechanically robust, yet thoroughly biodegradable materials that could effectively supplant conventional polymers in demanding applications. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46406.