CONVERSION OF PLASTIC CELLULOSE WASTE INTO COMPOSITES .2. IMPROVING ADHESION BETWEEN POLYETHYLENE AND CELLULOSE USING OZONE/

The effect of ozone gas treatment on the adhesion between low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and cellulose was investigated. The ozone treatmen t of LDPE resulted in a significant increase in the interfacial shear strength as measured by the single fiber fragmentation test, whereas t he ozone treatment of cellulose was not successful in improving the ad hesion. An extensive surface characterization was performed to elucida te the adhesion mechanism using ESCA, ATR-FTIR, contact angle measurem ents and iodometry. Among the species formed during the ozone treatmen t were several different carbonylic compounds, as well as hydroperoxid es. The polar component of the surface energy increased for the ozone- treated materials as a result of the oxidation. Extraction of LDPE lam inated with a regenerated cellulose film showed that strong bonding is achieved between the ozone-treated LDPE and cellulose during the lami nation procedure. The suggestion proposed here for the adhesion mechan ism is based on interactions between oxygen-containing species in both materials and the formation of covalent bonds originating from the de composition of hydroperoxides. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.