Abstract
The physical, chemical and utility properties of polymer materials can be altered by means of high-energy radiation such as gamma rays, and electron beams. In the present work, the exposure to gamma radiation of a polypropylene and starch-modified polypropylene films was carried out at various doses up to 30 kGy Comparison studied between stability of PP and starch-modified PP against radiation was investigated. The study of the irradiation effects on the starch-modified polypropylene properties has been made by different methods in an integrated way The changes such as oxidation level of IPP and starch-IPP blends due to the irradiation treatments can be accurately detected by FTIR, DSC and XRD studies revert that the radiation causes degradation and chain scission in IPP and PP/starch blends but the degradation rate in IPP is higher than that in IPP/starch blend. The irradiated IPP/starch blends stored for 4 months are more stable than irradiated stored IPP Results suggested that, the starch incorporated into PP inhibited auto-oxidation process of the latter The obtained results make the environmental friendly starch-modified polypropylene of great interest for possible uses as packaging materials or disposable medical supplies that sterilized by irradiation.