Title: Biodegradable polymers based on polyolefins and elastomers

Abstract

The development of biodegradable polymers that can be readily degraded by common types of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, etc.) is of great importance. A promising strategy for achieving this goal is the inclusion of natural additives into the synthetic polymer matrix, which provide a nutrient medium for attracting microorganisms to the polymer surface and thereby initiate the process of its biodegradation. Here we present the results of our study on the use of natural rubber as an additive to low-density polyethylene in order to create a polymer compound for rapid biodegradation in soil. Polymer blends based on polyethylene with a natural rubber content of 0 to 50 (wt.%) were obtained by mixing and pressing the ingredients at elevated temperatures, followed by rapid cooling. To study the biodegradation process, the samples were placed in laboratory soil and the degree of degradation was assessed by the amount of weight loss over time. The physical and chemical properties of the samples were monitored by several methods, including tensile testing, optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and others. It has been shown that the presence of natural rubber significantly increases the decomposition rate of the polyethylene-based composites. The greatest effect is observed for samples with a natural rubber content of 50 (wt%). For these samples, the weight loss was more than 40% of the original weight during the time of experiment. Also, on the basis of a comprehensive study of the physical and chemical properties, it was shown that all studied samples of polymer composites based on polyethylene with natural rubber additives have satisfactory mechanical properties sufficient for use as a packaging material. Thus, we conclude that the use of natural rubber as an additive is an effective method for the production of biodegradable materials based on polyethylene.