Great advantages in using a natural rubber instead of a synthetic SBR in apro-oxidant system for degradable LDPE

Different pro-oxidant systems are used in degradable low-density polyethyle ne (LDPE). The main question is the degradation products and not the degrad ation time from the used materials. The pro-oxidant formulation used consis ted of manganese stearate and natural rubber (NR) or manganese stearate and a synthetic, styrene-butadiene copolymer rubber (SBR). The samples were he ated in air at 100 degreesC in sealed glass vials. The molecular weight cha nges were measured by size exclusion chromatography (SEC). The volatile and nonvolatile degradation products have been identified by gas chromatograph y-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). A wide variety of degradation products were id entified, including ketones, carboxylic acids, keto acids, dicarboxylic aci ds, and furanones as a homologous series. Benzaldehyde, acetophenone, benzo ic acid, benzyl benzoate, and two benzene derivative compounds were identif ied only in the LDPE-SBR system. These aromatic compounds originate from th e styrene parr of SBR. The advantages using pro-oxidant containing NR are m ore effective degradation of LDPE without any aromatic degradation products .