Development and characterization of biodegradable PVA-Starch electrospun films for potential mulch applications

IF 2.4 Q2 Chemistry

Chemical Data Collections Pub Date : 2025-12-01 Epub Date: 2025-10-28 DOI:10.1016/j.cdc.2025.101210

K V Sayana, T Vishwanath

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Abstract

Mulching films are widely employed in agriculture to conserve soil moisture, regulate temperature, and suppress weed growth. Yet, the dominance of polyethylene and other petroleum-derived plastics has led to persistent environmental pollution due to their non-degradable nature. Biodegradable polymers are being explored as sustainable substitutes, with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and starch receiving significant attention owing to their non-toxicity, biodegradability, and ability to form films. In this work, combined PVA–starch films were produced via electrospinning and systematically examined for their structural, thermal, mechanical, and degradation characteristics. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed strong polymer–polymer interactions and reduced crystallinity within the blends. Thermal stability and transition behaviours were assessed through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed uniform nanofiber formation, while tensile analysis demonstrated improved strength and flexibility compared with starch-only films. The X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) was carried out to examine the surface chemical composition of the pure and degraded samples, confirming the changes in functional groups during degradation. Contact angle measurements reflected the hydrophilic surface nature, and soil burial experiments confirmed biodegradability through progressive weight loss. Overall, the findings indicate that electrospun PVA–starch films possess suitable mechanical, thermal, and degradation properties, supporting their potential as eco-friendly alternatives to conventional plastic mulch films.

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生物可降解聚乙烯醇-淀粉静电纺丝膜的开发和表征

地膜在农业中广泛应用于保持土壤水分、调节温度和抑制杂草生长。然而，聚乙烯和其他石油衍生塑料的主导地位由于其不可降解的性质导致了持续的环境污染。人们正在探索可生物降解的聚合物作为可持续的替代品，聚乙烯醇（PVA）和淀粉因其无毒性、可生物降解性和形成薄膜的能力而受到极大关注。在这项工作中，通过静电纺丝制备了聚乙烯醇-淀粉复合薄膜，并系统地研究了它们的结构、热、机械和降解特性。傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）和x射线衍射（XRD）表明，共混物中聚合物-聚合物相互作用强，结晶度降低。通过差示扫描量热法（DSC）和热重分析（TGA）评估热稳定性和转变行为。扫描电镜（SEM）证实了均匀的纳米纤维形成，而拉伸分析表明，与纯淀粉薄膜相比，纳米纤维的强度和柔韧性有所提高。利用x射线光电子能谱（XPS）分析了纯化和降解样品的表面化学成分，证实了降解过程中官能团的变化。接触角测量反映了亲水性表面性质，土壤掩埋实验通过逐渐失重证实了生物降解性。总的来说，研究结果表明，静电纺pva淀粉薄膜具有合适的机械、热学和降解性能，支持它们作为传统塑料地膜的环保替代品的潜力。

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来源期刊

Chemical Data Collections Chemistry-Chemistry (all)

CiteScore

6.10

自引率

0.00%

发文量

169

审稿时长

24 days

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