Preparation And Characterisation Of Polysaccharide-Based Biodegradable Films

Saroja, N. (2000) Preparation And Characterisation Of Polysaccharide-Based Biodegradable Films. PhD thesis, University of Mysore.

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Abstract

Polysaccharides such as cellulose and starch are available in abundance from highly renewable agricultural resources. The use of such natural polymers in plastics as a partial replacement for synthetic monomers, helps in the biodegradation of the starch-synthetic polymer finished plastic to lose its integrity and reduce to particles small enough to cause minimal environmental pollution. Secondly, the incorporation of starch into plastics reduces the dependence on costly petrochemical derived monomers. By suitable manipulation of the reaction conditions, a variety of polymeric derivatives from starch and cellulose has been prepared, which as films have excellent packaging characteristics. Graft copolymerisation of synthetic polymers onto starch provides an excellent method for preparing starch-polymer composites. An important advantage of graft copolymerisation is that the natural and synthetic components are held together by a covalent bonding rather than existing merely as a physical mixture. Studies on the extent and mechanism of biodegradation of starch containing plastics in various environments are of current interest. Such an information helps in the development of ecofriendly biodegradable packaging films for a variety of applications.The ability of Gloeophyllum trabeum, a brown rot to degrade a aliphatic polyether via extracellular one-electron oxidation using hydroquinone driven Fenton reaction is reported. Ligninases and peroxidases of Phanerochaete and Streptomyces species are reported to degrade the polyethylene component of starchpolyethylene composite as evidenced by a reduction in the overall molecular weight distribution. Only a scanty information is available on the enzymatic degradation of polyacrylonitrile fibres, which hold approximately 10% of the global synthetic fibre market, and which are used as copolymers in grafted starches. Starch-graftpolyacrylonitrile (S-g-PAN) has several applications in food packaging. Therefore, it was felt desirable that a systematic study be initiated to evaluate the structural, biochemical and biodegradable characteristics of S-g-PAN.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Polysaccharides biodegradation
Subjects:	500 Natural Sciences and Mathematics > 04 Chemistry and Allied Sciences > 27 Polymer Chemistry 500 Natural Sciences and Mathematics > 04 Chemistry and Allied Sciences > 28 Polysaccharide Chemistry
Divisions:	Dept. of Biochemistry
Depositing User:	Food Sci. & Technol. Information Services
Date Deposited:	25 May 2007
Last Modified:	28 Dec 2011 09:27
URI:	http://ir.cftri.res.in/id/eprint/610

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