UV & Thermal Resistant Biodegradable Polymer Blend for Smartphone Casing

Abstract. For smartphone casings, the study synthesized a biodegradable polymer blend of starch-PVA cross-linked with SiO₂, ZnO, and TiO₂ nanoparticles. The optimized composite shows 92% UV-B blocking, with a 40°C enhancement in thermal stability (onset at 290°C) and balanced mechanical properties (18 MPa tensile strength, 45% elongation). Crosslinking with acetic acid and using dual plasticizers (glycerin/Vaseline) improved water resistance while preserving 80% biodegradability in 60 days. These findings portray a sustainable option as compared to the ABS and PC casings for resolving background problems with e-waste, without compromising performance. Keywords: Biodegradable polymer, smartphone casing, UV resistance, nanocomposite, thermal stability, starch-PVA blend.