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Photo‐oxidation and biodegradation of polyethylene films containing polyethylene glycol modified TiO 2 as pro‐oxidant additives
Author(s) -
Xu Jiezhen,
Yang Wei,
Zhang Chaoqun,
Dong Xianming,
Luo Ying
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.24679
Subject(s) - low density polyethylene , materials science , biodegradation , polyethylene , polyethylene glycol , peg ratio , ethylene glycol , linear low density polyethylene , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , nuclear chemistry , organic chemistry , composite material , chemistry , finance , engineering , economics
Nano‐TiO 2 particles were modified with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and used as pro‐oxidant additives for degradable low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) films. The photo‐oxidation and biodegradation of polyethylene films containing modified nano‐TiO 2 particles were examined by exposure to UV irradiation for 370 hr followed by their incubation with mature compost and fungal strains isolated from soil. It is found that films with pro‐oxidant additives showed an obvious decrease in molar mass, molecular weight, and mechanical properties and an increase in their carbonyl index during the photo‐oxidation. In addition, the degradation rate under UV irradiation could be controlled by an addition of small amount of hindered amine light stabilizer. Furthermore, a profuse growth and colonization of fungal mycelia and spores on the photo‐oxidized TiO 2 /PEG/LDPE composite films were observed while no colonization of fungal mycelia on the photo‐oxidized LDPE films and photo‐oxidized TiO 2 /LDPE composite films. The hydrophilic modification of TiO 2 by PEG facilitates the photo‐oxidation LDPE into small molecular weight residues which was easily consumed by fungal mycelia, leading to enhanced biodegradation. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E531–E539, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers