The Study of Environmental Degradation Dharacteristics of Photodegradable Polyethylene Film

Photodegradable polyethylene films have attracted considerable interests in recently years for its environmental degradability. However, it would be a scientifically and technological challenging issue to assess the degradable process. In order to explore the effect of the photo sensitizer on natural environment degradation characteristics of photodegradable polyethylene film, we investigated the changes of the tensile strength and elongation at break of the PE film (as the control group) and the PE photodegradable film along with the time in the ambient conditions. Photodegradable PE films showed the greater decrement of the tensile strength and elongation at break than that of the control group after 90 days explosion in ambient conditions which indicated its excellent degradability. Thus, the photo sensitizer being used in the PE films could improve the degradability of the PE films in the ambient conditions to a great extent.