Effects of Stearic Acid on Photo-Oxidative Degradation of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Films

With the steadily expanding use of polymers and ever increasing attention being paid to environmental pollution, the use of degradable film forming polymers has become a crucialneed [1]. The problem of degradable polymers can be partially solved by rendering conventional plastics photo-degradable.Polyethylene (PE) is extensively used as packaging material due to its ideal physical properties, easy production and low cost [2]. However, it is well documented that this polymer dose not undergo biodegradation within a realistic period of time (10 years), due to its chemical inertness and its highmolecular weight. Hence, this polyolefin has received much attention for enhancement of photo-degradability [3]. In thiswork influence of stearic acid (SA) on overall photo-oxidation behavior of HDPE films has been examined and compared to the corresponding activities of benzophenone (as a conventional aromatic ketone photo-initiator).