Synthesis and Characterization of Biodegradable Polymer Blends Based on Chitosan
Bekbayeva L. Mun G.A. Yermukhambetova B.B. Negim E.-S. Irmukhametova G. Al Azzam K.M. Nechipurenko S.V. Efremov S.A. Yermaganbetov M. Samy M.
July 2025Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
Polymers
2025#17Issue 13
Despite its broad application due to its affordability, biodegradability, and natural antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, chitosan (CS) still exhibits limitations in mechanical strength and barrier effectiveness. Owing to its unique chemical characteristics, itaconic acid (IT) presents potential as a compatibilizing agent in polymeric blend formulations. Biodegradable polymers composed of chitosan (CS), itaconic acid (IT), and starch (S) were synthesized using two polymerization methods. The first method involved grafting IT onto CS at varying ratios of IT (4%, 6%, and 8% wt.), using 1% v/v acetic acid/water as the solvent and potassium persulfate as the initiator. In the second approach, starch (S) was blended with the copolymer P(CS-g-IT) at concentrations of 1%, 3%, and 5%, utilizing water as the solvent and glacial acetic acid as a catalyst. The resulting biodegradable films underwent characterization through FTIR, TGA, SEM, and mechanical property analysis. To further explore the effects of combining IT, starch, and carbon black, the blends, referred to as P[(CS-g-IT)-b-S], were also loaded with carbon black. This allowed for the evaluation of the materials’ physicomechanical properties, such as viscosity, tensile strength, elongation, and contact angle. The findings demonstrated that the presence of IT, starch, and carbon black collectively improved the films’ mechanical performance, physical traits, and biodegradability. Among the samples, the blended copolymer with 1% starch exhibited the highest mechanical properties, followed by the grafted copolymer with 8% IT and the blended copolymer mixed with carbon black at 7%. In contrast, the blended copolymer with 5% starch showed the highest hydrophilicity and the shortest degradation time compared to the grafted copolymer with 8% IT and the blended copolymer mixed with 7% carbon black.
biodegradable , carbon black , chitosan , itaconic acid , mechanical properties , starch
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National Nanotechnology Open Laboratory, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Al-Farabi Av., Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
National Engineering Academy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Bogenbai Batyr Str. 80, Almaty, 050010, Kazakhstan
Department of Chemistry & Technology of Organic Substances, Natural Compounds and Polymers Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, 71 Al-Farabi Av., Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
School of Chemical Engineering, Kazakh British Technical University, 106 Walikhanov Street, Almaty, 050010, Kazakhstan
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, The University of Jordan, Amman, 11942, Jordan
Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Satbayev University, 22 Satbayev Street, Almaty, 050013, Kazakhstan
Polymers and Pigments Department, National Research Centre, 33 El Buhouth St., Dokki, Giza, 12622, Egypt
National Nanotechnology Open Laboratory
National Engineering Academy of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Department of Chemistry & Technology of Organic Substances
School of Chemical Engineering
Department of Chemistry
Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
Polymers and Pigments Department
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