Effect of Gamma Radiation and Borax on Mechanical Properties of Polyvinyl Alcohol and Chitosan Blend Film

The creation and characterisation of biodegradable blend films based on chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol for application in a range of packaging is described. The compatibility between the chitosan and PVA polymers was good. Composite films had a compact and homogeneous structure, according to the morphology analysis. The mechanical test result of PVA/CH at concentrations 5% showed, that The higher values of TS recorded in sample (p1, with 40 MPa) while the lower values appeared in sample (p9, with 22.09 MPa), the TS decreased gradually as the amount of PVA increased in blend film. While the blend film of pure Chitosan exhibits a poor mechanical strength which makes it a poor candidate for packaging but Blending CH with PVA together improved tensile strength. PVA/CH at concentrations 10%. Showed the higher TS values appeared in sample (C1 with 36.64MPa) while the lower values of TS appeared in sample (C9 with 24.4 MPa). In comparison with pure PVA have the lower TS than all blend film. The result of mechanical properties after addition of borax solution revealed that the Borax improves the E at max and TS of blend films. Mechanical properties results of CH/PVA/Tio2, Showed that the TS and E at max were increased after introducing of Tio2 into the polymer matrix. The P1 sample have been chosen according to their possess acceptable TS, E at max to be subjected to gamma radiation at different doses 2.3, 3.5, 4.5, 6, 7.5 kGy. The results demonstrated, that the increasing the radiation doses lead to increasing in TS of blend film, following increasing in E at max, the highest TS of the irradiated films is observed at 7.5.kGy dose.