Photo and biodegradation of biodegradable polymer blends and polypropylene

Abstract

The large use of plastics in the world generates a large amount of waste which persists around 200 years in the environment. To minimize this effect is important to search some new polymer materials: the blends of biodegradable polymers with synthetic polymers. It is a large area that needs a intensive research to investigate the blends properties and its behavior face to the different treatments to aim at the biodegradation. The blends used in this work are: some biodegradable polymers such as: poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(e-polycaprolactone) (PCL) with a synthetic polymer, polypropylene (PP), in lower concentration and adding pro-degradatin agents. These blends will be prepared using a internal mixer (Torque Rheometer), followed by films cryogenic breaking and press. These films will be submitted to UV phototreatment and following next to fungus biotreatment. The films analyses before and after the treatments will be carried out by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), UV-Vis absorption (UV-Vis), Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), Differential Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetry (TG). Besides that, Mechanical Analyses of films will be carried out. (AU)