Effect of Maleated Polyethylene Wax on Mechanical and Rheological Properties of LDPE/Starch Blends

Abstract

Polyethylene is a non-biodegradable polymer. It is widely used as a commodity thermoplastic material in disposable packaging and many other industrial applications. Therefore, there is a growing interest in ensuring that the products are biodegradable from the environment. 1,2 A mixture of biodegradable and non-biodegradable polymers is more beneficial than manufacturing entirely biodegradable polymers as the latter has economic advantages and superior properties. 3,4 Starch and cellulose derivatives are preferable because they biodegrade easily in a soil environment. Accelerated biodegradation in the environment of polyolefinic wrapping materials has been achieved through the use of widely available polyethylene blends with natural products, particularly starch. 5-7 Chemically, starch is an hydroglucose polymer (C6H10O5). It consists of 17-27 wt. % amylase with α-1,4-links between the units and α-1,6-linked amylopectin (amylose is a linear polymer). 8 Starch is mechanically brittle and difficult to thermally process with other polymers due to the strong inter-and intra-molecular hydrogen bonds among the glucose macromolecules in starch. Plasticizers, such as glycerol, can