Effect of UV Radiation and Pro-Oxidant on PP Biodegradability

The effect of ultraviolet exposure on the biodegration of poly(propylene) without (PP) and with 0.3 (wt/wt) (PPOx) pro-oxidant additives, produced by extrusion was studied. After UV exposure the samples were submitted to biodegradation (weight loss) in prepared soils. The samples before and after UV exposure were analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, size exclusion chromatography, and optical microscopy. The exposure to UV radiation lead to more intense degradation of PPOx than of PP; the amount of carbonyl groups was larger for the PPOx samples than for PP, as well as the decrease in the T-m and in the molecular weight. The samples exposed to UV radiation showed some level of fragmentation after 56 days when placed in the prepared soil; the samples which were exposed to UV for 480 h presented just a small weight loss. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 49:123-128, 2009. (C) 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers