Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Dr Jie ZhangORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2024 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Our research described in this paper investigated the environmental degradation of polypropylene (PP) films incorporating pro-oxidants and assessed their impact on the ecosystem. Weathering aging effects were monitored through Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis, revealing significant changes in carbonyl, hydroxyl and amorphous regions post-aging. The presence of pro-oxidants intensified these changes, indicating higher oxidation levels. Contact angle measurements demonstrated decreased hydrophobicity upon aging, particularly pronounced in pro-oxidant-containing films (initial contact angle: 87.79° for PP/1% Co/1% Fe, sample (F6) decreased to 79.24° after aging). Differential Scanning Calorimetric (DSC) analysis revealed decreased melting temperatures (initial Tm: 159.5 °C for F6 decreased to 148 °C after aging) and the crystallinity post-aging (initial χ: 73.25% for F6 decreased to 60.17% after aging), suggesting increased susceptibility to degradation. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) showed decreased thermal stability after aging, especially in PP/pro-oxidant films; the Tonset (T5); 432.00 °C for F6, decreased to 268.00 °C after aging; where Tonset is the temperature corresponding to 5% weight loss. Biodegradation tests indicated enhanced biodegradability in the pro-oxidant-containing films, with cobalt and ferrous stearate mixtures showing the highest degradation degrees (e.g., PP/1% Co/1% Fe: ≈ 77% biodegradation after 140 days). Ecotoxicological evaluations, including microbial toxicity and plant germination and growth tests, revealed no inhibitory effects of the degradation products on soil flora or plant growth, confirming their nontoxic nature. Overall, we believe this comprehensive study provides insights into the environmental fate of PP films with pro-oxidants, highlighting their potential for accelerated degradation without adverse ecological impacts.
Author(s): Kerouani S, Keraghel JS, Tahraoui H, Zhang J, Amrane A
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Journal of Macromolecular Science, Part B: Physics
Year: 2024
Pages: ePub ahead of Print
Online publication date: 22/10/2024
Acceptance date: 15/10/2024
Date deposited: 26/11/2024
ISSN (print): 0022-2348
ISSN (electronic): 1525-609X
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Ltd
URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/00222348.2024.2418769
DOI: 10.1080/00222348.2024.2418769
ePrints DOI: 10.57711/f46r-b152
Altmetrics provided by Altmetric
