Enzymatic Degradation of Nanocomposites Carboxymethyl Cellulose and Poly (Caprolactone) and Containing Sodium Montmorillonite Clay by Cellulase

The aims of the study were to investigate the effect of poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) and Sodium Montmorillonite (MMT-Na) within the thermoplastic Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) blends on the rate and extent of CMC enzymatic hydrolysis using enzymes cellulase. The results of this study have revealed that blends with a MMT-Na content at 6 wt% exhibited a significantly reduced rate and extent of CMC hydrolysis. The results suggest that this may have been attributed to interactions between CMC and MMT-Na that further prevented enzymatic attack on the remaining CMC phases within the blend. The total solids that remained after 3000 min were 44.8 wt.% (CMC: PCL); 56.5 wt.% (CMC: PCL: 2% MMT-Na); 58.2 wt.% (CMC: PCL: 4% MMT-Na); 61.4 wt.% (CMC: PCL: 6% MMT-Na). Enzymatic degradation behaviour of CMC: PCL: MMT-Na was based on the determinations of Water resistance, Weight loss and the Reducing sugars.