BLOWN FILMS FROM LINEAR LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE ( LLDPE ) INCORPORATING BIODEGRADABLE ADDITIVE

摘要

Environmental concerns are now driving additive suppliers and polymer resin manufacturers to step up efforts to create innovative materials. This paper attempts to highlights properties of blown films derived from LLDPE in presence of a "biodegradable" additive. In the first step, the "degradation additive/promoter" was converted into a 30 % masterbatch in PE. This was achieved by melt compounding on a twin screw compounding machine. The masterbatch was let-down to 5,10, and 15 % level in an Octene -1 film grade LLDPE resin.. Blown film containing the additive was prepared on a single layer blown film unit. The blown film showed retention of all key properties even in the presence of the additive. The films have been exposed to the degradation process in natural soil and after two months of exposure, have started crumbling. Studies are underway to ascertain the time taken to complete disintegration.