Investigating the Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene in the Presence of Biodegradable Additive

Abstract

Products made from polyolefins have developed significantly in recent decades thanks to their cost-effectiveness, suitable weight, and acceptable physical properties. These properties have made polyolefins a good choice for many applications, especially in the packaging industry. Hence, a crucial problem in this regard is burying these materials after consumption. Polyolefins are not easily degraded in nature. This issue makes the production of degradable polyolefins one of the most important research subjects. The present study aims to investigate the biodegradability of BOPP (Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene), which is a grade of polypropylene used extensively in the food packaging industry. This work is done using commercially available biodegradable additives. This study uses a suitable additive that accelerates the reaction of plastic with air oxygen and connects oxygen atoms to polyolefin chains. The use of P-life additive in polymer improved polymer biodegradation. This additive did not cause significant changes in the mechanical and rheological properties of the polymer. This is an advantage of using biodegradable additives mixed with polymers such as polypropylene, which do not inherently have biodegradable properties.

Keywords: Polyolefins, Biodegradability, Polypropylene, Additive