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A new biodegradable plastic made from starch graft poly(methyl acrylate) copolymer
Author(s) -
Dennenberg Ronald J.,
Bothast Rodney J.,
Abbott Thomas P.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1978.070220214
Subject(s) - starch , copolymer , ultimate tensile strength , materials science , biodegradation , acrylate , elongation , methyl acrylate , composite material , scanning electron microscope , polymer chemistry , chemistry , polymer , organic chemistry
Abstract A starch graft poly(methyl acrylate) copolymer was developed having grafted side chains with molecular weight of less than 500,000. This material can be easily extruded into a film which shows excellent initial tensile strength and elongation. Tensile strength, however, falls off rapidly after 70 hr of water immersion at 25°C. Starch graft poly(methyl acrylate) films show excellent susceptibility to fungal growth, some samples losing more than 40% of their weight after 22 days of incubation with Aspergillus niger . Tensile tests and scanning electron micrographs of the incubated samples, after being freed of mycelium, indicate substantial biodegradation of the starch portion of the copolymer. This material may have application as a biodegradable plastic mulch.