TY - GEN
T1 - Enhancement of biodegradability of polylactides by γ-ray irradiation
AU - Dave, Foram
AU - Jacob, Josemon
AU - Kandasami, Asokan
AU - McAfee, Marion
AU - Tormey, David
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Author(s).
PY - 2023/5/23
Y1 - 2023/5/23
N2 - Polylactide, PLA (also called Polylactic acid) is an aliphatic polyester that exhibits a slow rate of biodegradation due to its non-polar nature. In this study, it is demonstrated that gamma rays enhance the biodegradability of PLA. The pristine PLA samples were irradiated by gamma rays with various doses: i.e., 25, 50, 75, and 100 kGy. These irradiated samples were analyzed by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), derivative thermogravimetry (DTG), and contact angle measurements to understand the functionalization of this polymer. While the FTIR analysis shows the emergence of a new band at 3400-3600 cm-1 corresponding to -OH groups in alcohols, hydroperoxides, and carboxylic acids, the TGA results exhibit a change from a single step to a two-step degradation pathways upon γ-rays irradiation which is attributable to the formation of polar -OH groups. The DSC results indicate a decrease in Tg due to the decrease in the molecular weight after γ-rays irradiation which is also consistent with the results from the gel permeation chromatography. The decrease in the contact angles of the γ-rays irradiated samples provides evidence for hydroxyl functionalization. This study shows that γ-rays irradiation enhances the biodegradability of PLA.
AB - Polylactide, PLA (also called Polylactic acid) is an aliphatic polyester that exhibits a slow rate of biodegradation due to its non-polar nature. In this study, it is demonstrated that gamma rays enhance the biodegradability of PLA. The pristine PLA samples were irradiated by gamma rays with various doses: i.e., 25, 50, 75, and 100 kGy. These irradiated samples were analyzed by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), derivative thermogravimetry (DTG), and contact angle measurements to understand the functionalization of this polymer. While the FTIR analysis shows the emergence of a new band at 3400-3600 cm-1 corresponding to -OH groups in alcohols, hydroperoxides, and carboxylic acids, the TGA results exhibit a change from a single step to a two-step degradation pathways upon γ-rays irradiation which is attributable to the formation of polar -OH groups. The DSC results indicate a decrease in Tg due to the decrease in the molecular weight after γ-rays irradiation which is also consistent with the results from the gel permeation chromatography. The decrease in the contact angles of the γ-rays irradiated samples provides evidence for hydroxyl functionalization. This study shows that γ-rays irradiation enhances the biodegradability of PLA.
KW - Gamma-rays
KW - hydroxyl functionalization
KW - irradiation
KW - poly(lactic acid).
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85161400795
U2 - 10.1063/5.0135785
DO - 10.1063/5.0135785
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85161400795
T3 - AIP Conference Proceedings
BT - Proceedings of the 36th International Conference of the Polymer Processing Society, PPS 2021
A2 - Ajji, Abdellah
A2 - Mighri, Frej
A2 - Naguib, Hani E.
PB - American Institute of Physics Inc.
T2 - 36th International Conference of the Polymer Processing Society, PPS 2021
Y2 - 26 September 2021 through 29 September 2021
ER -