engleski

UV irradiation effect on the properties of polypropylene / polycaprolactone blends containing nano TiO2 particles

Environmentally friendly polymers can be produced by modification of non-biodegradable synthetic polymers with a biodegradable polymer. Polypropylene (PP) is a thermoplastic polymer difficult to be decomposed by microorganisms in environment. On the other side, polycaprolactone (PCL) is nontoxic, biodegradable polymer material which can be blended with various synthetic polymers over a wide composition range. The aim of this work is therefore to investigate the possibilities of improvement the properties of PP as well as its biodegradability by blending with biodegradable PCL. The main problem in preparation of PP/PCL polymer blends is compatibility between polymers. In this work there are presented the thermal properties and compatibility of PP and PCL polymer blends reinforced with nano sized titan dioxide (nTiO2) particles as well as effect of nTiO2 reinforcement before and after UV irradiation. The neat polymers, PP/PCL and PP/PCL/nTiO2 polymer blends were prepared by melt compounding within a twin screw extruder, while the granules of the blends were compression moulded in a hydraulic press. The thermal properties of the neat polymers, PP/PCL and PP/PCL/nTiO2 blends are measured using the differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis and thermogravimetry techniques. The obtained results show that the particles of nTiO2 as filler in PP/PCL blends have the photocatalytic effect and improve the photocatalytic degradation during UV irradiation. Furthermore, photodegradation process might occur through chain scission reactions, crosslinking and consequently photocatalytic degradation of these polymers.

Polypropylene, polycaprolactone, nTiO2, thermal stability, polymers blends, thermal properties

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