Enzymatic degradation of Poly (ε-Caprolactone) and Starch blends bontaining SiO۲ nanoparticle by Amyloglucosidase and α-Amylase

The aims of the study were to investigate the effect of poly(ε -caprolactone) (PCL) and nano- SiO۲ within the thermoplastic starch (TPS) blends on the rate and extent of starch enzymatic hydrolysis using enzymes α-amylase and amyloglucosidase. The results of this study have revealed that blends with nano-SiO۲ content at ۶ wt% exhibited a significantly reduced rate and extent of starch hydrolysis. The results suggest that this may have been attributed to interactions between starch and nano- SiO۲ that further prevented enzymatic attack on the remaining starch phases within the blend. The total solids that remained after ۶۰۰۰ min were ۵۲ wt. % (TPS: PCL); ۵۹ wt.% (TPS: PCL: ۲% nano-SiO۲); ۶۴ wt.% (TPS: PCL: ۴% nano-SiO۲); ۶۷ wt.% (TPS: PCL: ۶% nano-SiO۲). The rate of glucose production from each nanocomposite substrates was most rapid for the substrate without nano- SiO۲ and decreased with the addition of nano- SiO۲, for TPS: PCL blend (۳۷۴ μg/ml.h), ۲۴۶ μg/ml.h (TPS: PCL: ۲% nano- SiO۲), ۲۱۷ μg/ml.h (TPS: PCL: ۴% nano- SiO۲) and ۱۹۹ μg/ml.h for (TPS: PCL: ۶% nano- SiO۲). Enzymatic degradation behaviour of TPS: PCL: nano- SiO۲ was based on the determinations of Water resistance, Weight loss and the Reducing sugars.

Keywords:

Nanocomposites , Polymer composites , Biodegradable polymers , Water resistance , Reducing sugars