Characterization and Lifetime Estimation of High Density Polyethylene Containing a Prodegradant Agent

Abstract

High density polyethylene (HDPE) samples, containing different concentrations of prodegradant additive d2w ® , were prepared. The properties of the samples were evaluated through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), rheometry, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The work contributes to decreasing the products made of non-biodegradable polymeric materials derived from fossil sources which are have become a problem due to their increasingly inappropriate disposal and long degradation time in the environment. The obtained results indicated that there was no degradation of the samples due to processing. No significant changes in melting temperature, crystallinity, viscoelastic behavior, molecular weight and chemical composition were observed. Images from SEM analysis showed particles on HDPE surface, attributed to prodegradant additive d2w ® . Oxidation Onset Temperature (OOT) results showed that the additive d2w® accelerated the degradation of HDPE. The activation energy (Ea) was determined by Ozawa-Wall-Flynn method. The obtained values were used for lifetime estimation of the samples. At 25˚C, HDPE with d2w ® showed a lifetime 50% higher than that of HDPE without this additive. This fact is attributed to the presence of stabilizers in masterbatch d2w ® and the absence of oxygen in thermogravimetric analysis.

Strain Rate Effects on Tensile Properties of HDPE-PP Composite Prepared by Extrusion and Injection Moulding Method

“…The fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) materials find increasing applications as load bearing structures. But in the other hand, development of polymer materials for high technology engineering applications is in demand [1] [2] [3]. It is always a matter of concern, to evaluate the mechanical properties of polymer DOI: 10.4236/msa.2019.103017 206 Materials Sciences and Applications composites at high rates of strain.…”