Industria aplikazioetan polipropilenoa eta dentsitate baxuko polietilenoa ordezkatzeko polimero biodegradagarriak: polihidroxialkanoatoak eta polikaprolaktona

Abstract

At present, in order to provide an alternative to the severe growth that climate change is experiencing, various social changes have been attempted in different areas. This article seeks to resolve a problem of concern within the framework of the packaging industry. In this case, the focus has been on the application of box transport supports. The aim has been to replace two highly used and polluting plastics of this industry (PP and LDPE) from commercial biopolymers. Of all biopolymers, the PHA (Polyhydroxialcanoate) family has aroused great curiosity in many sectors, as it includes many different polymers of great variety of properties. For this reason, three biopolymers belonging to this group have been analysed in this work: poly (3-hydroxibutirate), poly (3-hydroxibutirate-co-4-hydroxybutirate) and poly (3-hydroxibutirate-co-5-hydroxypentanoate). All materials have been processed in optimal conditions and then characterized, structurally (NMR), thermally (DSC and TGA) and mechanically (tensile, bending and impact). First, the two usual polymers, PP and LDPE, have been examined to determine the properties to be discovered. The PHA family has since been characterized and compared to the previous ones. LDPE is such a flexible material that the properties of PHAs have not been properly adjusted, and it has been proposed to use PCL as an alternative, because although it is not biobased polymer, it is biodegradable. Finally, some conclusions have been suggested, the materials to be discarded and their possible substitutes, and also other biopolymers have been proposed for further research.