Development of eco-friendly biodegradable polymers based on polyethylene, polyvinyl alcohol, starch, and rice straw

Bekbayeva, Lyazzat; Negim, El-Sayed Moussa; Niyazbekova, Rimma; Al Azzam, Khaldun M.; Kairatuly, Orazalin Zhandos; Ahmed, Eman H.; Yeilgbayeva, Gulzhakhan; Al-Harahsheh, Sura

doi:10.21608/ejchem.2025.376720.11617

	Development of eco-friendly biodegradable polymers based on polyethylene, polyvinyl alcohol, starch, and rice straw
Egyptian Journal of Chemistry
Volume 68, Issue 9, September 2025, Page 237-247 PDF (461.08 K)
Document Type: Original Article
DOI: 10.21608/ejchem.2025.376720.11617
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Authors
Lyazzat Bekbayeva ¹; El-Sayed Moussa Negim ²; Rimma Niyazbekova³; Khaldun M. Al Azzam ⁴; Orazalin Zhandos Kairatuly²; Eman H. Ahmed⁵; Gulzhakhan Yeilgbayeva⁶; Sura Al-Harahsheh⁷
¹Biology Program, School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
²School of Materials Science and Green Technologies, Kazakh British Technical University, St Tole bi 59, Almaty 050000, Kazakhstan
³Kazecoengineering company” LLP, St Turan 50/3, Astana 010017, Kazakhstan
⁴Associate Professor of Analytical Chemistry Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Jordan, 11942 Amman, Jordan
⁵eInstitute of Organic Synthesis and Carbon Chemistry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, St Alikhanov 1, Karaganda 100000, Kazakhstan
⁶-Institute of Organic Synthesis and Carbon Chemistry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, St Alikhanov 1, Karaganda 100000, Kazakhstan -School of Petroleum Engineering, Satbayev University, 22 Satbayev Street, Almaty 050013, Kazakhstan
⁷Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Al Al Bayt University, 25113, Al Mafraq, Jordan
Abstract
A biodegradable co-polymer with starch-based modifying characteristics was prepared using a combining polymerization method, blending polyethene and PVA with xylene and glacial acetic acid. Investigations were conducted into the impact of starch on the viscosity, tensile strength, elongation, and contact angle of biodegradable polymer films. These blended polymers were further mixed with rice straw at concentrations of 1.0, 3.0, and 5.0 wt.% based on the blended polymers. The utilization of starch improved the biodegradability of the films because of functional groups from polyethylene blend polyvinyl alcohol (PE-b-PVA), such as OH, which can form hydrogen bonds with starch. However, an increase in starch content in biodegradable polymers increases the biodegradability of the film and decreases the mechanical properties. Tensile test, elongation and contact angle of P (PE-b-PVA-b-S) were evaluated for different ratios of starch content 3, 5 and 7%. The higher ratio of 7% of starch increases the tensile strength up to % (27.1% MPa) than the lower ratio (19.4% MPa). Conversely, it reduces the elongation to 115 compared to the lower starch content 130. The addition of starch significantly improved the moisture resistance and biodegradability of the new P (PE-b-PVA-b-S) compound, while increasing the amount of rice straw enhanced its mechanical properties.
Keywords
Biodegradable; Blend; Polyethylene; Polyvinyl alcohol; Starch


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