Electron beam-induced crosslinking of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)

Biodegradable poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) was crosslinked by electron beam irradiation and their properties were investigated in this research. PBAT films prepared by a solution casting method were crosslinked by electron beam under various absorbed doses ranging 20-200 kGy and their properties were characterized by using a crosslinking degree measurement, a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), universal testing machine (UTM), dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA), and thermal mechanical analyzer (TMA). The results of the crosslinking degree measurement revealed that the PBAT could be crosslinked by electron beam irradiation and its crosslinking degree was dependant on the absorbed dose. In addition, the results of the UTM, DMA, TMA, and TGA analyses revealed that the thermal and mechanical properties of the crosslinked PBS was much improved in comparison to those of the control PBAT.