Photo-Degradation of a Biopolyester Blend under UV-C Rays

Abstract

Biopolyesters, pure and mixed with a compatibilizer, are exposed to UV-C radiation in the interval 4–32 h. UV-C rays act as germicides and antibacterial on biomedical materials. The mechanical and physical characterization tests have shown how all the materials, pure and mixed, undergo UV-C photodegradation even if in a different way. The change in the structural order of the polymer, the embrittlement, and the change in the surface wettability of the water/blood is lower in the blend than in pure polymers. This is thanks to the cross-linked structure of the mixture, which is more thermally stable, mechanically resistant, and more hydrophobic than the individual components.