This study looked at how adding tiny particles of zinc oxide (ZnO) changes the way a new kind of biodegradable plastic breaks down in sunlight and water. The plastic studied is made from a mix of two plant-based materials—polylactic acid (PLA) and polyamide 11 (PA11).
Researchers created different versions of this plastic blend by adding small amounts of ZnO (up to 2%) and tested how it held up to heat, sunlight, and seawater. They found that small amounts of ZnO (especially around 1%) actually made the material more stable during processing, thanks to chemical reactions that helped the two plastics mix better. This improved the material’s strength and resistance to heat.
However, when too much ZnO was added, it made the plastic break down faster when exposed to light, which could be a problem for products like food packaging that need to last longer. In seawater tests under sunlight, even a small amount of ZnO (0.5%) led to significant degradation of the plastic—about a 34% drop in its molecular size.
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