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Enzymatic degradation of poly(soybean oil-g-methyl methacrylate)
R. Vinu, A. Marimuthu,
Published in Freund Publishing House Ltd
2010
Volume: 30
   
Issue: 1
Pages: 57 - 76
Abstract
This study discusses grafting of methyl methacrylate units from the polymeric soybean oil peroxide to produce poly(soybean oil-graft-methyl methacrylate) (PSO-g-PMMA). The degradation of this copolymer in solution was evaluated in the presence of different lipases, viz., Candida rugosa (CR), Lipolase 100T (LP), Novozym 435 (N435) and Porcine pancreas (PP), at different temperatures. The copolymer degraded by specific chain end scission and the mass fraction of the specific product evolved was determined. The degradation was modeled using continuous distribution kinetics to determine the rate coefficients of enzymatic chain end scission and deactivation of the enzyme. The enzymes, CR, LP and N435 exhibited maximum activity for the degradation of PSO-g-PMMA at 60 °C, while PP was most active at 50 °C. The thermal degradability of the copolymer, assessed by thermo-gravimetry, indicated that the activation energy of degradation of the copolymer was 154 kJ mol -1, which was lesser than that of the PMMA homopolymer.
About the journal
JournalJournal of Polymer Engineering
PublisherFreund Publishing House Ltd
ISSN03346447