Synthesis and Characterization of Polyvinyl alcohol film incorporated with Tridax procumbens leaf extract

Harsini Venkatachalam; Radha Palaniswamy; Chidambara Rajan Parameswaran

doi:10.37591/jopc.v11i2.7219

Abstract

Active film materials are prepared by incorporation of natural antimicrobial and antioxidant agents. These materials have attracted growing interest in wound dressing and food packaging process. In this study, active films were developed by incorporation of Tridax procumbens (T. procumbens) leaf extract into Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) matrix. T. procumbens leaves have been accounted for their biomedical and nutritional properties. The impact of T. procumbens leaf extract on the physical, mechanical and antioxidant properties of the films were determined. The current finding showed that the incorporation of T. procumbens leaf extract into PVA films upgraded the mechanical and antioxidant properties. FTIR study confirmed the presence of interactions between PVA and T. procumbens leaf extract. SEM morphology study indicates that PVA films with T. procumbens leaf extract had a rough surface. Lowest incorporation of T. procumbens leaf extract (12.5 ml) revealed higher tensile strength and crystallinity (D-3 and F-3) compared to control film and higher concentrations of the leaf extract (25 ml and 50 ml) incorporated films (D-2, F-2 and D-1, F-1). The incorporation of T. procumbens leaf extract in the PVA film enhanced the antioxidant properties of PVA film which was confirmed by DPPH and ABTS activity assays. Antioxidant properties of the films showed higher values with an increase in the concentration of T. procumbens leaf extract in the matrix. These findings imply that T. procumbens leaf extract incorporated PVA film can be used for food packaging and biomedical applications.