Fabrication and characterization of one high-hygroscopicity liquid starch-based mulching materials for facilitating the growth of plant

One high-performance liquid starch-based mulching materials (LSMM) was successfully fabricated by grafting polyacrylic acid (PAA) onto starch then crosslinking with N,N'-methylene-bisacrylamide (MBA). The effects of the dosage of acrylic acid on the performances of LSMM film had been explored. The LSMM was characterized by FTIR, solid state C-13 NMR, XRD and SEM. Their application performances by spraying the LSMM on the soil surface also had been discussed. The PAA grafted onto starch significantly improved the properties of LSMM film (tensile strength 20.89 MPa, elongation at break 59.19 %, water absorbency 68.58 g/g and solubility in water 4.5 %). The PAA broke the hydrogen bonds and reduced the crystallinity of starch molecule, which can form the compact structure in LSSM film. As a result, the LSMM showed excellent relative hygroscopicity, water retention, degradability (weight loss 72.61 %) and the effect of facilitating the growth and germination ratio (84.00 %) of lettuce.