engleski

Interfacial phenomena in material

Low density polyethylene (LDPE) is a worldwide leading material with excellent mechanical properties and unattainable low cost. Due to its non-degradability, it poses a risk to the ecosystems and exposed organism. In order to reduce the dependence on the depleting petrochemical resources and highlighted biodegradability of the material, the innovative approach is blending LDPE with biopolymers such as thermoplastic starch (TPS). Since LDPE and TPS are immiscible polymers, the usage of a compatibilizer is inevitable. The properties of polymer blend, besides depending on the properties, composition and structure of individual components in the blends ; greatly depend on the interfacial interactions between the polymers at which the usage of a compatibilizer has an important role. The focus of this investigation was exploring the effect of incorporation of a block copolymer styrene–ethylene/butylene–styrene, grafted with 2 wt % maleic anhydride (MA-g-SEBS), as a compatibilizer on the miscibility of the LDPE/TPS blends for improving the application properties. Blends were produce by melt blending using Brabender plasticorder. The miscibility of components in blend was predicted by surface free energy calculations using various models and theories. The adhesion between compatibilizer and phases in the polymer blends was predicted on the basis of the calculated adhesion parameters (interfacial surface free energy, coefficient of wetting and thermodynamic work of adhesion) obtained from the surface free energy of the components. According to the values of adhesion parameters, significant interactions can be expect between the TPS and the compatibilizer, which are expected due to the formation of an ester bond confirmed by FTIR analysis. The optimal phase interactions are necessary because they are responsible for the miscibility of the components in the blend and thus to the final application properties.

LDPE, thermoplastic starch, compatibilizer, FTIR, interfacial properties

nije evidentirano