Abstract
Hemicellulose is a highly available polysaccharide but with poor industrial applications attributed mainly to difficulties in processability, owing to extensive intermolecular hydrogen bonds. In the current study, hemicellulose was subjected to a chemical modification by ring-opening graft polymerization of ε-caprolactone (CL) to improve its processability for value-added applications. Hemicellulose-graft-poly-(ε-caprolactone) (HCgPCL) copolymers were synthesized using 1,5,7-triazabicyclodecene [4.4.0] (TBD) as an organic catalyst. The extent and length of grafted PCL sidechains in HCgPCL copolymers were controlled by adjusting the molar ratios of CL monomer to anhydroxylose residues. The various characterization analysis of the physicochemical and mechanical properties of HCgPCL materials revealed a successful grafting. The NMR analyses indicated that the degree of polymerization (DP) of the grafted PCL can range between 1.82 and 4.26 based on the changes in the molar ratio of the reactants. Furthermore, results indicated that the mechanical and the hydrophobic properties of the materials were enhanced by PCL grafting onto hemicellulose. Finally, biodegradability measurements indicated a remarkable (95.3–99.7%) materials biodegradation. We anticipate that the HCgPCL copolymers will have great potential to be an eco-friendly part of the bioplastic industry.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
