Degradation Study of LLDPE-starch-clay Composite Film Using Xenon Arc and Characterized on Mechanical and Chemical Properties

Abstract

Starch blending with linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) is one of the plastic packaging materials alternative used for solving the plastic waste problem that difficult to degrade. Polymeric materials will change when exposed to weather that releases heat, chemistry, and light. It can be a trigger factor in the degradation process. Xenon Arc accelerated weather simulation test is one way to find out the resistance of plastic materials to weather. This study aimed to explain the effect of xenon arc light on LLDPE-starch-clay composite. In this work accelerated photodegradation tests using Xenon Arc ATLAS Ci 3000+ were carried out on LLDPE-starch-clay composite sample films. Clay, compatibilizers, and starch with a starch content of 10 wt% and 20 wt% were used to make composites masterbatch. The composite masterbatch then extruded with LLDPE and was prepared to make a film sample using Rheomex Haake Blown film. Mechanical properties of the film samples before and after xenon arc accelerated photodegradation treatment were tested using Universal Testing Machine (UTM) Shimadzu AGS-10kNG. The composite sample made from ten wt% starch showed 55% reduction in tensile strength after 14 days of degradation while sample prepared with 20 wt% starches was brittle after seven days of exposure to xenon arc light. Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectrophotometer test result for composite samples made from 10 wt% and 20 wt% starch after exposure to xenon arc light show increasing the intensity at the wave number of 1722 cm-1 that corresponding to carbonyl bond this proved that degradation has occurred.