TY - JOUR
T1 - Aging of low-density polyethylene in natural weather, underground soil aging and sea water
T2 - Effect of a starch-based prodegradant additive
AU - Elanmugilan, M.
AU - Sreekumar, P. A.
AU - Singha, N. K.
AU - Al-Harthi, Mamdouh A.
AU - De, S. K.
PY - 2013/11
Y1 - 2013/11
N2 - This article reports the results of studies on the degradation of the blend of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) with a starch based prodegradant additive, named commercially as Polystarch plus H and abbreviated as PSH, under natural weather, underground soil aging, and sea water aging in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The work includes measurements of tensile properties, thermal behavior, and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies on the unaged and aged LDPE and the LDPE/PSH blend having 25% (w/w) of PSH. Results of the preliminary experiments showed that changes in properties are not prominent at lower loadings of PSH. In the case of the blend, incorporation of the additive PSH caused a reduction in elongation at break, which is accentuated under aging. The effectiveness of the prodegradant additive in the degradation behavior follows the order, natural aging > underground soil aging > sea water aging. It is believed that the prodegradant additive is effective in chain scission in sunlight under natural weathering conditions, in contrast to underground soil aging and sea water.
AB - This article reports the results of studies on the degradation of the blend of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) with a starch based prodegradant additive, named commercially as Polystarch plus H and abbreviated as PSH, under natural weather, underground soil aging, and sea water aging in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The work includes measurements of tensile properties, thermal behavior, and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies on the unaged and aged LDPE and the LDPE/PSH blend having 25% (w/w) of PSH. Results of the preliminary experiments showed that changes in properties are not prominent at lower loadings of PSH. In the case of the blend, incorporation of the additive PSH caused a reduction in elongation at break, which is accentuated under aging. The effectiveness of the prodegradant additive in the degradation behavior follows the order, natural aging > underground soil aging > sea water aging. It is believed that the prodegradant additive is effective in chain scission in sunlight under natural weathering conditions, in contrast to underground soil aging and sea water.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84886094834
U2 - 10.1002/pen.23494
DO - 10.1002/pen.23494
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84886094834
SN - 0032-3888
VL - 53
SP - 2389
EP - 2397
JO - Polymer Engineering and Science
JF - Polymer Engineering and Science
IS - 11
ER -