Dynamic and creep analysis of polyvinyl alcohol based films blended with starch and protein

Abstract

Abstract The present study focuses on the fabrication and analyses of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) based films blended with polymers, such as starch and protein. The aim is to improve the moisture absorption, solubility, mechanical and thermal properties of PVA by blending it with various polymers. The thermal cross-linking of the films has been studied by heating the films at 120°C for 4 h. The result shows that PVA was completely soluble in water, while post-blending solubility and moisture absorption of blended films decreased. The tensile strength of blended films was significantly higher (4%–29%) as compared to neat PVA, while thermally cross-linked films showed much higher strength (8%–174%). Blended films were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to confirm the formation of hydrogen bonds. Thermogravimetric analysis showed the increase in degradation temperature post-blending as compared to neat PVA. The viscoelastic behavior of the material as well as glass transition temperature was studied using dynamic mechanical analysis. Creep and recovery behavior were examined to study the effect of stress and temperature on creep strain. The biodegradability of the blended films was increased post-blending. This study showed that PVA based blend films can replace non-biodegradable plastics and hence are necessary for the development of environmentally friendly materials.