Novel photodegradable low-density polyethylene-TiO2 nanocomposite film.
A new type of photodegradable low-density polyethylene (LDPE)-TiO2 nanocomposite film was prepared by a melt blending technique. The photocatalytic degradation of the LDPE-TiO2 nanocomposites was investigated. The as-prepared films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-temperature gel permeation chromatography (HT-GPC), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), FT-IR spectroscopy, and the photoinduced weight loss. The results show that the LDPE-TiO2 nanocomposite films could be efficiently degraded under UV or sunlight illumination. The weight loss rate of the composite film reached 68.38%, the average molecular weight (Mw) of the composite film decreased 94.56%, and the number of average molecular weight (Mn) decreased 93.75% after UV-light irradiation for 400 h. FT-IR and XPS analysis indicated that the LDPE was oxidized during UV-light irradiation. The photocatalytic degradation mechanism of the films is briefly discussed.
College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, P R China. irlab@whu.edu.cn
Ling
L
Zan
Wenjun
W
Fa
Songlin
S
Wang
D002384:Catalysis; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008970:Molecular Weight; D036103:Nanotechnology; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010777:Photochemistry; D020959:Polyethylene / Q000737:chemistry*; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
C009495:titanium dioxide; D020959:Polyethylene; D014025:Titanium