PSI - Issue 40

Ivetta Varyan et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 40 (2022) 445–449

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Ivetta Varyan at al. / Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2019) 000 – 000

irregularities and the presence of voids. The intensity of the staining varied depending on the type of sample. The obtained micrographs of the PE/NR composites in the initial state and after 6 months in the soil are shown in Fig. 2b. Changes in the appearance of the films after being in the soil environment are clearly visible here due to the loss of transparency and the appearance of colored spots. More than 50% of the surface of this sample is covered with microbial growth, indicating that the material contains sufficient nutrients components that promote the growth of soil microorganisms.

Fig. 2. (a) Dependence of the elongation and tensile strength of PE/NR composites with different content of natural rubber. (b) Micrographs of the initial sample (top panel) and after exposure in soil for 6 months of the composite PE/NR = 70/30 in transmitted light at 50× magnifi cation (inset into the bottom panel is at 200×). 4. Conclusion The article investigates the possibility of creating biodegradable polymer composite materials based on low density polyethylene with the addition of natural fillers such as natural rubber. The importance of this study is due to the threat of an ecological disaster in connection with the ever-increasing volumes of accumulation of plastic waste in the environment. It has been shown that the development of polyethylene/natural rubber composites makes it possible to modify the structure and properties of polyethylene in such a way that it becomes more susceptible to decomposition agents, including moisture, aggressive chemicals, oxidants, and metabolic products of soil microorganisms. As a result, these composites have a higher level of biodegradability in environmental conditions compared to pure polyethylene. In accordance with the results obtained, the biodegradability of polyethylene/natural rubber composites was revealed by changes in the weight, appearance and physical properties, as well as the structure of polyethylene. This is especially noticeable for composites with a natural rubber content of more than 40%. At the same time, these composites have satisfactory mechanical and processing properties that determine the suitability of such materials for use as packaging and agricultural films.