Synthesis Characterization and Studies on the Properties of Crosslinked pva Starch Composite Films Reinforced with Grafted Barley Husk

Abstract

The synthesis of petroleum based non-degradable packaging films has been causing a newlineserious threat to the environment. Therefore, development of the composite films using newlinenatural fillers and biopolymer matrix has been intensively focused to provide an ecofriendly newlinealternative to the conventional non-degradable packaging films and lessening newlinethe dependency on non-renewable petroleum sources. The utilization of Poly (vinyl newlinealcohol) (PVA)/starch as polymer matrix and barley husk (BH) as cellulosic filler has newlinebeen approached for the preparation of biodegradable packaging films. However, the newlinehydroxyl group present on PVA/starch matrix and BH restricted their application due to newlinethe poor water resistance properties. Therefore, the development of composite films newlineusing crosslinked PVA/starch matrix and grafted BH (using lauric, palmitic and newlinearachidic acid) as load bearing constituents can complement the drawbacks of newlineconventional packaging film. In the present study, the evaluation of the effect of newlinecrosslinking agent (urea/starch ratio), BH content as well as grafted BH content on the newlinemechanical properties, water resistance properties, barrier properties, thermal properties newlineand biodegradability of the films was attempted. newlineThe present study deals with the grafting of BH with lauric acid, palmitic acid and newlinearachidic acid in the presence of redox initiators. The grafting reaction parameters such newlineas reaction time, reaction temperature, dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) content and fatty newlineacid concentration were optimized using the conventional method (One-variable-at-atime newline(OVAT approach)). Response surface methodology (RSM) coupled with central newlinecomposite design (CCD) was used to develop mathematical regression models in order newlineto obtain the maximum graft yield of BH using different fatty acids. newlineResults of Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that DMSO content was the most newlinesignificant factor for grafting of BH with lauric acid while, fatty acid concentration was newlinethe most significant factor for grafting of BH with palmitic a