IMPACT STUDY OF SUBSTITUTING NON DEGRADABLE PLASTICS BY BIODEGRADABLE COMPOSITES (DDGS AND ZEIN) AND THE POTENTIAL OF NANOCLAYS AS REINFORCEMENT

摘要

In this work the effects of incorporating biodegradable composites such as DDGS and Zein on the tensile strength, strain to failure and Young's modulus of LDPE and HDPE were examined. Samples were prepared by mixing and extruding LDPE and HDPE in various amounts with DDGS and compositions of DDGS/zein and injection molding these composites into tensile test bars. Further investigations were completed whereby the potential benefit of the incorporation of nanoclays in the material composition of LDPE with DDGS/zein and DDGS were examined.