DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A BARLEY STARCH-G-POLYACRYLAMIDE/ZINC SULFATE (ZNSO₄) COMPOSITE FOR ENHANCED MATERIAL PERFORMANCE

Abstract

In recent years, natural biopolymers have gained significant attention as reinforcing agents in thermoplastic composites due to their renewable origin, biodegradability, and cost-effective processing. Starch, a naturally occurring carbohydrate-based biopolymer, has been extensively explored in both industrial and academic settings for its versatility and eco-friendly characteristics. Chemical modification of starch through grafting with different monomers can substantially improve its physicochemical properties, such as hydrophilicity, hydrophobicity, viscosity, thermal stability, biodegradability, film-forming capacity, and water absorption behavior.

This study reports the synthesis of a barley starch-g-polyacrylamide composite material and examines the influence of varying metal (ZnSO₄) loadings (up to 10%) on the properties of starch-g-polyacrylamide composites prepared at different polymer ratios (20% and 80%). The resulting composites were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). FTIR spectra confirmed successful grafting and the formation of strong coordinate covalent interactions between the polymer matrix and the metal salt. XRD analysis demonstrated the crystalline nature of the composites, while SEM micrographs revealed notable morphological changes associated with metal incorporation.