MORPHOLOGICAL AND THERMAL PROPERTIES OF BIODEGRADABLE GRAFT COPOLYMER LLDPE-G-MA/GEL COMPOSITES

Abstract

In this work, a biodegradable graft copolymer based on linear low density polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride and gelatin (LLDPE-g-MA/Gel) was formed by reactive mixing of functionalized polyethylene with gelatin to achieve finely dispersed blend morphology. Using a selection of components of the mixture, we’d studied its morphology and thermal properties. It was found that thermal stability (initial temperature) of the composition decreases as the amount of gelatin increases due to degradation of gelatin. In the temperature range of 400-500 ºC, the maximum rate of destruction of the graft copolymer increases significantly with higher gelatin content. Samples having identical composition were selected using a Brabender plastograph and a mechanical mixer; and when taken at different rates, the morphological structure of the samples was determined to depend on their mixing rate. The morphological structure was found to show that increased speed leads to effective reaction of two components and crushing of particles into smaller ones.