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Surface Changes Brought About by Corona Discharge Treatment of Polyethylene Film and the Effect on Subsequent Microbial Colonisation by Masashi Matsunaga; Philip J Whitney is a Materials Science article available to read on EtoBox.

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Microbial colonisation of synthetic plastic ®lms is normally slow, which aects the total period of biodegradation. Correlation between the modi®ed surface condition and the ability for microorganisms to colonise low-density polyethylene (LDPE) ®lm was studied. Corona discharge treatment was applied to obtain enriched and activated surface condition of LDPE ®lm. It was found from water contact angle and FTIR spectrum evaluations that surface energy was signi®cantly increased due to production of free radicals. Stabilised oxidised LDPE surface was also obtained by further exposure to the corona which gave more suitable condition for subsequent colonisation. Results were compared with UV irradiated (photo-oxidised) LDPE ®lms. Colonisation of corona discharged and UV treated LDPE ®lms were tested in the laboratory environment using known fungal isolates and in a natural compost environment. More active microbial colonisation was observed in all cases for corona discharged and UV treated LDPE ®lms. Far longer UV exposure was required to have the same physicochemical and biological eect as the corona discharge treatment.

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Author

Masashi Matsunaga; Philip J Whitney

Publisher

Elsevier Science; Elsevier ; Elsevier BV (ISSN 0141-3910)

Published

2000

Language

EN

Field

Materials Science (Physical Sciences)