Fast and simple construction of composite films with renewable Eucommia ulmoides gum and Poly(ε-caprolactone)

Eucommia ulmoides gum (EUG) and Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), a degradable, promising and “green” feedstock , can be used to fabricate composite films by a rapid and simple solution casting method, which have characteristics of degradability, hydrophobicity , strength , and toughness. Herein, EUG was extracted with petroleum ether from seed coats of Eucommia ulmoides and characterized with Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). The FT-IR and NMR revealed that the construction of the EUG and PCL of composite films are a physical blending process . Besides, the addition of PCL effectively enhances the thermal stability of composite films. The concentration of PCL is 0.84 wt% in composite film (P 0.84 wt% ), which exhibits an excellent elongation at break and energy density at break of 514.3% and 106.4 MJ/m 3 , respectively. The maximum tensile strength of the resultant film is 1.8 times higher than that of the control film. The hydrophobicity and water vapor barrier property of P 0.84 wt% film is increased by 26.6% and 84.0%, respectively, than that of the control film. It is believed this work provided a rapid and simple strategy to fabricate degradable, strong, and tough film.