Oxo-biodegradable carbon backbone polymers – Oxidative degradation of polyethylene under accelerated test conditions

Oxo-biodegradation of carbon-only backbone polymers is receiving ever increasing attention for the practical implications that some re-engineered thermoplastic polymer formulations based on conventional biostable polymeric materials may satisfy in terms of environmental friendliness and acceptance by commodity plastic manufacturers. In this respect, as part of our continuing activity in the area of bioactive polymeric materials for biomedical and environmental applications, we report the results of an investigation of the effects of different degradation conditions on the oxidative degradation of polyethylene (PE) film samples containing pro-oxidant additives and formulated according to a proprietary technology. The effects of temperature and relative humidity have been evaluated by monitoring, with time, several parameters associated to oxidation and cleavage of the macromolecules, such as the weight variation due to oxygen uptake, film wettability, carbonyl index, molecular weight and the extractability with polar solvents of oxidized PE samples.