EFFECT OF CHEMICAL DEGRADATION ON THE CHANGE OF PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF POLYMERIC FILMS WITH D2W ADDITIVE
We have investigated the change of physical and mechanical properties of biodegradable polymer films with d2w additive over time as a result of their holdingat high humidity and temperature and in the soil. The study lasted for eight months. The test samples were six biodegradable films from different manufacturers, which were placed in anenvironmental camera (humidity 90 %, temperature 40 °C) and in the soil at room temperature. Every two weeks the samples were tested for tensile strength and puncture resistance. According to the results the changes of the strength characteristics of the films in time have been graphed.In order to research changes of the thermal characteristics of polymers while decomposinga synchronous thermal analysis of the samples was conducted. It was found that a significant reduction in physical and mechanical characteristics of packaging materials occurred during the period of the study. The decrease for some samples amounted to 70–80%. Mechanical properties of the samples, placed in anenvironmental camera, were reducing slightly faster than that of the samples in the soil.