Preparation, Characterization and Antimicrobial Activity of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)-g-Poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) Copolymers

Graft polymerization of N-vinylpyrrolidone onto poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate), PHBV was carried out in solution. The evidence of grafting was provided by FTIR, and 1H-NMR. The DSC results showed that the cold crystallization temperature from the glass state increased with increase of grafting %. TGA analysis revealed that the thermal stability of the host PHBV was improved remarkably with increasing extent of grafting. The swelling of the graft copolymer in water increases with increasing G%. The antibacterial activity of PHBV-g-PVP copolymers was improved dramatically with the extent of grafting. The biodegradability of PHBV and its graft copolymers was investigated in active soil.