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

Abstract

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in using natural biopolymers as reinforcement materials in thermoplastic composites, owing to their renewable nature, biodegradability, and low processing costs. Starch, a naturally occurring carbohydrate-based biopolymer, has been widely studied in both industrial and academic contexts for its versatility and environmentally friendly properties. Modifying starch through grafting with various monomers can enhance its physicochemical characteristics, including hydrophilicity, hydrophobicity, viscosity, thermal stability, biodegradability, film-forming ability, and water absorption capacity.

This study focuses on the synthesis of a barley starch-g-polyacrylamide composite material. The effects of different metal (ZnSO₄) loadings (up to 10%) on the properties of starch-g-polyacrylamide composites with varying polymer ratios (20% and 80%) were investigated. The synthesized composites were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). FTIR analysis confirmed successful functionalization and the formation of strong interactions between the polymer matrix and the metal salt via coordinate covalent bonding. XRD analysis revealed the crystalline structure of the composites, while SEM provided detailed insights into the morphological changes resulting from metal incorporation.