Abstract
Green biopolymer alloys based on the bacterial polyester poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and softwood Kraft lignin were successfully prepared via dicumyl peroxide (DCP) initiated free radical grafting during melt extrusion to improve interfacial adhesion. It is postulated that lignin was grafted onto PHBV to form a cross-linked copolymer gel. The gel fraction of the biopolymer alloy grafted at four different loading levels of DCP was determined. At an optimal total concentration of 2 wt % DCP, tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and storage modulus, by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), of the biopolymer alloy showed a maximum, coinciding with the highest gel yield. The presence of both lignin and PHBV characteristic bands by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) in the extracted biopolymer alloy gel confirmed lignin was successfully grafted onto PHBV. Adhesion factor calculated from DMA data also indicated improved interfacial interaction. The crystallinity degree in the graft...
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