Authors : A. Gadrea , V. Sangawar* and G. Yerawarb
Page Nos : 339-345
Description :
With the excess use of plastics products causes very serious problem of
accumulation of plastics in environment. An attempt has been made to synthesize
degradable plastics. The thin composite films of LDPE + PEG were synthesized by
solution evaporation method. The sample was degraded by soil burial technique in
compostable soil for 90 days and the samples were characterised by XRD, Fourier
Transform IR, and UV – Visual spectroscopy before and after degradation. The
degradability is confirmed from crystallinity, carbonyl index and UV – VIS absorption.
The LDPE + PEG composite thin films after soil burial of 90 days are found to be
degraded. Thus, with the addition of PEG in low density polyethylene (LDPE) makes an
environmental friendly and degradable material in natural soil environment.
