Development of eco-friendly biodegradable polymers based on polyethylene, polyvinyl alcohol, starch, and rice straw

A biodegradable co-polymer with starch-based modifying characteristics was prepared using a combining polymerization method, blending polyethene and PVA with xylene and glacial acetic acid. Investigations were conducted into the impact of starch on the viscosity, tensile strength, elongation, and contact angle of biodegradable polymer films. These blended polymers were further mixed with rice straw at concentrations of 1.0, 3.0, and 5.0 wt.% based on the blended polymers. The utilization of starch improved the biodegradability of the films because of functional groups from polyethylene blend polyvinyl alcohol (PE-b-PVA), such as OH, which can form hydrogen bonds with starch. However, an increase in starch content in biodegradable polymers increases the biodegradability of the film and decreases the mechanical properties. Tensile test, elongation and contact angle of P (PE-b-PVA-b-S) were evaluated for different ratios of starch content 3, 5 and 7%. The higher ratio of 7% of starch increases the tensile strength up to % (27.1% MPa) than the lower ratio (19.4% MPa). Conversely, it reduces the elongation to 115 compared to the lower starch content 130. The addition of starch significantly improved the moisture resistance and biodegradability of the new P (PE-b-PVA-b-S) compound, while increasing the amount of rice straw enhanced its mechanical properties.