MICROBIAL DEGRADATION OF POLYMER SOLIDS - 2. A COMPARISON OF FUNGAL ATTACK IN CELLOPHANE AND AMYLOSE FILMS.

Specimens of regenerated cellulose films (cellophane) and solution-cast amylose films have been subjected to microbial degradation. The degradation process was monitored by x-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and mechanical property tests. Crystalline index measurements of fungal degraded samples are found to increase, while cell-free enzymes disrupt both crystalline and non-crystalline regions, with a rise in weight average crystallite size and lattice distortion. Ultimate and yield tensile stress of amylose films decline during the degradation process. Enzymes appear to attack preferentially the non-crystalline regions of the two polymers investigated.