NOVEL BIODEGRADABLE COPOLYAMIDES BASED ON ADIPIC ACID, ISOPHORONE DIAMINE AND ALPHA-AMINO-ACIDS .3. SYNHESIS, STUDY OF PROPERTIES AND EVALUATION OF THEIR BIODEGRADABILITY FOR FOOD-PACKAGING APPLICATIONS

Novel biodegradable copolyamides were synthesized by melt polycondensation. Statistical copolymers were produced by the incorporation of alpha-amino acids showing a gradual increase in their T(g) but a decrease in their tensile strength followed by higher susceptibility to alkali hydrolysis which was confirmed with GPC measurements. The amorphous nature of these novel copolyamides was confirmed with the aid of wide-angle X-ray diffraction patterns and differential thermal analysis. FT-IR spectra of the copolymers confirmed the existence of the amino acid moiety. These novel biodegradable copolyamides are expected to find application either on their own in the fields of food packaging and agriculture (disposable plastics) or as a part of composites, as sutures for fixation of macroscopic implants.