Degradable Plastic Composite Film—A Comparison …
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of degradation of PVC nanocomposite film comprising sonochemically synthesized
Fe-doped ZnO nanoparticles in 3.5 h when exposed to the sunlight (Das et al. 2016).
The aim of this work is to develop a plastic composite film comprising polyvinyl
chloride (PVC), zinc oxide (ZnO, a semiconductor photocatalyst), and polycaprolactone (PCL, a biodegradable organic compound) and to compare photocatalytic
and biodegradation of the film. The source of light was sunlight and the source of
microbes was contaminated soil.
2 Materials and Methods
2.1 Materials
PVC powder (free from plasticizers) was obtained from Reliance Industries Ltd.
(trade name—Reon-grade 67–01), with k value 67 ± 1. Cyclohexanone (C 6 H 10 O,
Mol. Wt. 98.15) was obtained from E. Merck, Mumbai. Zinc oxide (ZnO-extra pure
AR grade) was obtained from Sisco Research Laboratories Pvt Ltd Mumbai, India
and Polycaprolactone (PCL-Sigma-Aldrich, USA).
2.2 Methods
2.2.1 Preparation of Plastic Composite Film Comprising PVC, PCL &
ZnO
The plastic composite film was prepared by adding 0.625 gm of PVC powder in
25 ml of cyclohexanone using a magnetic stirrer to obtain a clear viscous solution.
Then 0.125 gm polycaprolactone and finally 0.025 gm ZnO was added into it with
continuous stirring for about 3 h to facilitate biodegradation and photodegradation,
respectively. The suspension was then cast on a clean glass petridish (15 cm diameter)
and air dried at ambient condition. Thickness of the film was about 50 µm. Samples
of approximately 7 cm × 2 cm were cut from the film.
2.2.2 Photocatalytic Degradation of the Film Under Sunlight
Weighed samples of composite film were exposed horizontally in the photocatalytic
reactor to the sunlight in presence of air and water. The reactor was a jacketed stainless
steel (SS) box filled with water. The top cover was a quartz sheet for allowing sunlight.
Air was bubbled through water in the reactor for supplying oxygen. The intensity of
solar radiation inside the reactor was measured using a digital luxmeter (Dispart &
Coalescent digital lux meter LX-101). The sample was withdrawn from the reactor
251
of degradation of PVC nanocomposite film comprising sonochemically synthesized
Fe-doped ZnO nanoparticles in 3.5 h when exposed to the sunlight (Das et al. 2016).
The aim of this work is to develop a plastic composite film comprising polyvinyl
chloride (PVC), zinc oxide (ZnO, a semiconductor photocatalyst), and polycaprolactone (PCL, a biodegradable organic compound) and to compare photocatalytic
and biodegradation of the film. The source of light was sunlight and the source of
microbes was contaminated soil.
2 Materials and Methods
2.1 Materials
PVC powder (free from plasticizers) was obtained from Reliance Industries Ltd.
(trade name—Reon-grade 67–01), with k value 67 ± 1. Cyclohexanone (C 6 H 10 O,
Mol. Wt. 98.15) was obtained from E. Merck, Mumbai. Zinc oxide (ZnO-extra pure
AR grade) was obtained from Sisco Research Laboratories Pvt Ltd Mumbai, India
and Polycaprolactone (PCL-Sigma-Aldrich, USA).
2.2 Methods
2.2.1 Preparation of Plastic Composite Film Comprising PVC, PCL &
ZnO
The plastic composite film was prepared by adding 0.625 gm of PVC powder in
25 ml of cyclohexanone using a magnetic stirrer to obtain a clear viscous solution.
Then 0.125 gm polycaprolactone and finally 0.025 gm ZnO was added into it with
continuous stirring for about 3 h to facilitate biodegradation and photodegradation,
respectively. The suspension was then cast on a clean glass petridish (15 cm diameter)
and air dried at ambient condition. Thickness of the film was about 50 µm. Samples
of approximately 7 cm × 2 cm were cut from the film.
2.2.2 Photocatalytic Degradation of the Film Under Sunlight
Weighed samples of composite film were exposed horizontally in the photocatalytic
reactor to the sunlight in presence of air and water. The reactor was a jacketed stainless
steel (SS) box filled with water. The top cover was a quartz sheet for allowing sunlight.
Air was bubbled through water in the reactor for supplying oxygen. The intensity of
solar radiation inside the reactor was measured using a digital luxmeter (Dispart &
Coalescent digital lux meter LX-101). The sample was withdrawn from the reactor