This research aims to produce a biodegradable polymer from an available renewable source in a way that uses local agricultural waste as an additive. Also testing the properties of the polymer. Starch was polymerized using tap water, three different acids were used (acetic acid, citric acid and fresh lemon juice). Glycerin was used as a plasticizer and olive waste as an additive. The polymerization process needed heat, a polymer sheet resulted after casting and cooling the polymer solution. The effect of different acids, adding glycerin, replacing acetic with citric acid and the effect of adding olive waste on the mechanical and thermal properties of the polymer was tested using the tensile test machine and the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The biodegradability was tested by soaking the polymer in water until it decomposes forming septic and the digestive ability was tested on laboratory mice. The acetic acid sample had the highest strength and modulus of elasticity among the three acids 6.30362, 287.454 MPa respectively and the lower ductility 3.42% this indicated a high crystallinity percentage which was proven using the DSC machine where its enthalpy of melting (ΔH) was the highest (135.3884 kJ/kg), thus it was chosen as a base for the enhancing. The acetic acid polymer’s strength and elasticity increased by lowering the glycerin composition and so its crystallinity, where its ductility decreased. The opposite happened when gradually replacing the acetic acid with citric acid. The strength and elasticity decreased along with the increase in the ductility when olive waste was added but the crystallinity increased. For the digestive test, the citric polymer started to be digested in the mice’s stomach within one to one and a half an hour, the polymer also reached the intestines of the mice and got out of its system. All the polymer samples degraded within 7 days of soaking in water.

Title

International Journal for Environment& Global ClimateChange

Publisher

The Euro-Arab Organization for Environment, water and desert research

Publisher Country

United Kingdom

Publication Type

Both (Printed and Online)

Volume

5

Year

2017

Pages

17-27