Blend copolymers (PVA/S) were grafted with polyethylene glycol methyl methacrylate (PEGMA) with different ratios. Potassium persulfate was used as an initiator. The blend copolymer (PVA/S) was created by combining poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with starch (S) in various ratios. The main idea was to study the effect of different ratios of the used raw materials on the biodegradability of plastic films. The resulting polymers (PVA/S/PEGMA) were analyzed using FTIR spectroscopy to investigate the hydrogen bond interaction between PVA, S, and PEGMA in the mixtures. TGA and SEM analyses were used to characterize the polymers (PVA/S/AA). The biodegradability and mechanical properties of the PVA/S/PEGMA blend films were evaluated. The findings revealed that the mechanical properties of the blend films are highly influenced by PEGMA. The time of degradation of the films immersed in soil and Coca-Cola increases as the contents of PVA and S and the molecular weight (MW) of PEGMA increase in the terpolymer. The M8 sample (PVA/S/PEGMA in the ratio of 3:1:2, respectively) with a MW of 950 g/mol produced the lowest elongation at break (67.5%), whereas M1 (PVA/S/PEGMA in the ratio of 1:1:1, respectively) with a MW of 300 g/mol produced the most (150%). The film’s tensile strength and elongation at break were improved by grafting PEGMA onto the blending polymer (PAV-b-S). T_g and T_m increased when the PEGMA MW increased from 300 to 950. T_g (48.4 °C) and T_m (190.9 °C) were the lowest in M1 (300), while T_g (84.8 °C) and T_m (190.9 °C) were greatest in M1 (950) at 209.3 °C. The increased chain and molecular weight of PEGMA account for the increase in T_g and T_m of the copolymers.

The present study investigates the effect of blend ratios on the miscibility and physicomechanical properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/urea (U) blends. PVA/U blends were synthesized in aqueous solution with different blend ratios 65/35, 50/50 and 35/65 respectively, using glacial acetic acid as crosslinking. The properties of PVA/U blends examined included FT-IR, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, TGA, DSC and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The obtained results showed that the miscibility and physico-mechanical properties of PVA/U blends are strongly dependent on PVA ratio in the blends. FT-IR spectroscopy was used to check the hydrogen bonding interaction between PVA and U in the blends. The formation of hydrogen bond was through the lone pair attraction from nitrogen atoms of U towards protonated hydroxyl of PVA. These blends have a single glass transition indicating that these blends are able to form a miscible phase due to the formation of hydrogen bonds. The addition of glacial acetic acid as cross-linking improved the thermal analysis of the blend. The scanning electron microscopy of PVA/U showed crystals of varying sizes with flake shapes compared to the pure PVA.

Oriental Journal of Chemistry is a peer reviewed quarterly research journal of pure and applied chemistry. It publishes standard research papers in almost all thrust areas of current chemistry of academic and commercial importance. It provides a platform for rapid publication of quality research papers, reviews and chemistry letters. Oriental Journal of Chemistry is abstracted and indexed in almost all reputed National and International agencies.

An advanced methodology of phase transition determination in aqueous solutions of thermo-sensitive polymers by using of the phase portraits method has been suggested. The methodology allows highly accurate determining the temperature when exactly a half of molecules loses solubility (from the maximum number that can go to another phase state under given conditions). It is shown that since phase transition passes usually in a wide enough temperature interval this indicator should be used as a quantitative parameter that characterizes phase transition process. Additionally the suggested methodology allows introducing one more quantitative parameter that reflects a sharpness of phase transition. The methodology is verified by an example of phase transitions study in aqueous solutions of thermo-sensitive copolymers based on N-vinylpyrrolidone and vinyl propyl ether.