Improving LDPE degradation by using Ferrous itaconate additives

Abstract

The most stubborn pollutant threat to the environment is the plastic wastes. The plastic waste is very resistant to the biodegradability factor and hence they keep on accumulating in the landfills and the dump yards increasing the level of environmental pollution to its extent. Modification of the plastics by blending with proper additives has shown the propitious way of enhancing the microbial attack and plastic waste management. In this frame of work the Ferrous itaconate additives were synthesized and were infused into Polyethylene (PE) . Ferrous itaconate infused polyethylene were subsequently processed to produce films of 50-60 µ m thickness.   The synthesis of proposed Ferrous itaconate additive was done and their performance index was measured. Infused polyethylene films were tested for their photo light attack and biotic attack for checking the biodegradability using accelerated UV/sunlight.  The changes in the mechanical properties like Tensile strength and Elongation at break were analysed for Ferrous itaconate infused polyethylene in transverse direction (TD) and machine direction (MD). The percentage of biodegradation of the photo degraded film was analyzed by ASTMD 5988-96 and ASTMD 5338-98.