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Mechanical and surface properties of low-density polyethylene film modified by photo-oxidation

Publication Type : Journal Article

Thematic Areas : Advanced Materials and Green Technologies

Publisher : Polymer Journal

Source : Polymer Journal, Volume 43, Number 4, p.398-406 (2011)

Url : http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-79953684301&partnerID=40&md5=7899b615d5f39148ba44b7233459b6de

Keywords : Absorbance spectrum, AFM, atomic force microscopy, Atomic spectroscopy, Biodegradable polymers, Degree of reduction, Elongation at break, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, FT-IR, Functional groups, Functional polymers, Hydrophilic groups, infrared spectroscopy, Irradiated samples, LDPE, LDPE film, Mechanical properties, Mechanical strength, oxidation, oxo-biodegradable additive, Physical strength, Polyethylenes, Polymer films, Polymer surfaces, scanning electron microscope, scanning electron microscopy, Surface morphology, Surface properties, Surface testing, Surface topology, Surface wettability, Surface-free energy, Tensile strength, Tensile testing, Thermoplastics, Time-periods, Ultra-violet, ultraviolet spectroscopy, UV irradiation, UV visible spectroscopy

Campus : Coimbatore

School : School of Engineering

Center : Center for Excellence in Advanced Materials and Green Technologies

Department : Chemical, Civil

Year : 2011

Abstract : Mechanical and surface properties are considered important in governing the physical strength of polymers. A commercially available oxo-biodegradable polymer additive, which has induced surface and mechanical property changes during photo-oxidation in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films, has been studied. LDPE films containing the oxo-biodegradable additive were irradiated with ultraviolet (UV)-B lamps at 30 ± 1 °C for an extended time period. The changes manifested on the polymer surface and in the mechanical properties were studied with respect to surface wettability, surface morphology using scanning electron microscope, surface topology by atomic force microscopy, functional groups by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, absorbance spectra by UV-visible spectroscopy and elongation at break and tensile strength through mechanical testing. The increase in the wettability and surface-free energy of the irradiated samples was attributed to the formation of hydrophilic groups on the polymer surface by photo-oxidation, which occurs by the exposure of PE to UV irradiation in the presence of air. The degree of reduction in the mechanical strength and surface property modifications in our study are appreciable through the use of an oxo-biodegradable additive added to LDPE film samples. © The Society of Polymer Science, Japan (SPSJ) All rights reserved.

Cite this Research Publication : Bab Suresh, Maruthamuthu, Sa, Dr. Kannan M., and Chandramohan, Ad, “Mechanical and surface properties of low-density polyethylene film modified by photo-oxidation”, Polymer Journal, vol. 43, pp. 398-406, 2011

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