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Item Investigations on thermo-mechanical properties of organically modified polymer clay nanocomposites for packaging application(SAGE Publications Ltd, 2021) Sudhakar, Y.N.; Muthu, M.; Bhat, D.K.Eco-friendly packing polymer materials are in the spotlight but, lack of new biodegradable polymers either natural or synthetic is yet to establish the market more competitively. So, in the present work, clay as a nano-filler is embedded and organically modified in some synthetic and natural polymers which are well established commercially to enhance their biodegradability. The impact of clay on the properties of synthetic polymers namely, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) and natural polymer cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) was studied. Results from differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) showed a decrease in the glass transition temperature of organically modified polymer clay nanocomposites (PCC) than pure polymers. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) displayed a uniform surface with small-sized crystallites distributed on the polymer surface. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra revealed the formation of enhanced intercalated structures in PCC. Furthermore, FTIR studies showed that the interlayer bonding (Si–O bands) of pure clay is deformed in PCCs. The tensile strength of PCC increased with an increase in organo-clay loading. This unique mechanical behavior is due to the agglomeration of organo-clay particles. Finally, the biodegradation studies revealed enhanced hydrolytic degradation in PCC than pure polymers. Hence, these PCCs are environmentally friendlier than their pure synthetic polymers without significant compromise in their properties, which makes it suitable for packaging industries. © The Author(s) 2020.Item Enhancement and investigation of biodegradability of poly (methyl methacrylate) and poly (vinyl chloride) by blending with biodegradable polymer(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2023) Sudhakar, Y.N.; Muthu, M.; Bhat, D.K.Presently, society needs an eco-friendlier alternative for non-biodegradable polymers, nonetheless, synthetic polymers have established the market because of cost and easy to manufacture. To address the challenge of reducing the lifetime of degradation of these polymers, the scope of blending natural biopolymers is effective. This paper focuses on confirming the effectiveness of biodegradation in the molecular level of polymer blends between synthetic polymers and biopolymers. The synthetic polymers such as poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) were blended with varying compositions of biodegradable cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB). Using dimethylformamide (DMF) the films of PMMA/CAB, PVC/CAB blends were prepared by the solution casting method. Four different methods for studying biodegradability of these blends, namely soil burial test, enzymatic degradation, activated sludge degradation followed by microbial degradation were performed. The confirmation of degradation was done by NMR, FTIR, and Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) studies. Moreover, degradation analyses were determined by the weight loss method. Sufficient biodegradability was shown with an increase in CAB content in the blend. This work provides an approach for bringing about the degradation of synthetic polymers without much compromise on their properties. Also, the type of microorganisms that effectively degrades these polymer bends can be known. © 2022, The Author(s).