Structural changes of polyethylene in blown films with different pro-oxidants

Abstract

The accumulation of polymeric residues has been one of the most impacting environmental problems in recent human history, coming, above all, from disposable artefacts, such as plastic bags. Processing polyolefins with pro-oxidant additives is an alternative to favour the abiotic degradation process of macromolecules, including thermooxidation, so that the oxygenated fragments produced can be assimilated by microorganisms. The objective of this work was to evaluate the process of thermomechanical oxidative degradation of polyethylene (PE) during tubular extrusion of HDPE/LDPE films, without and with 1% of two different pro-oxidants, d2wTM and benzoin. The results of viscosimetric and MFI analyses indicated smaller chain sizes in the additivated films. The FTIR spectra and contact angles indicate a higher presence of polar functional groups in the samples with pro-oxidants. The surface morphological analysis by SEM indicated difference of PE homogeneity in the films. Benzoin, however, proved to be a better pro-oxidant than d2wTM.