Radiation-Induced Graft Copolymerization of Vinyl Acetate onto Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate): Synthesis and Characterization

Radiation-induced graft copolymerization of vinyl acetate (VAc) onto poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) was performed to improve the polymer hydrophilicity. The grafting reaction was carried out by the simultaneous irradiation technique with 60Co γ-ray. The grafting degree (W), composition (C), and grafting index (γg) were determined using different techniques. Characterization of the grafted PHB was also carried out by structural and thermal techniques. All the experimental results indicated that the PHB-graft-PVAc was synthesized with a graft degree of 39 PVAc percent. The swelling behavior was also studied. The results showed a water uptake increase tendency.