Biodegradable glycerol-based polymeric composites filled with industrial waste materials

Abstract

The aim of this work was preparation and investigation of the polymeric composites from naturally occurring materials with the properties similar to those of conventional polymer composites and which can degrade to harmless substances after use. The other target of this work was to estimate the applicability of industrial waste materials as fillers in the polymeric composites and thus to offer a potential exploitation of biodegradable waste materials as an alternative to disposal. In this study, the polymeric composites were prepared by photopolymerization of glycerol diglycidyl ether and different industrial waste materials (rapeseed cake, phosphogypsum and horn meal) using a mixture of triarylsulfonium hexafluoroantimonates as photoinitiator. The effect of the amount and nature of the industrial waste materials on the kinetics of photopolymerization, values of contact angle and surface free energy, mechanical, thermal, rheological properties, swelling in water and biodegradability of the polymeric composites was studied. The incorporation of the selected industrial waste fillers into glycerol-based polymeric composites increased swelling in water, adhesiveness, biodegradability and reduced Young modulus values.