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UV Light Effects on Plastic vs Bio-Plastic Bags

Explore how UV light impacts standard plastic and bio-plastic bags, considering reflection, temperature, humidity, and impurities. Learn about UV radiation's photochemical effects on polymers, potential benefits/detriments, and curing processes. Discover statistics on recycled plastic, materials used in bio-plastic bags, and testing procedures. Conclusions from tensile tests and creep properties are discussed, highlighting the slower creep of samples exposed to more UV light. Various sources are provided for further reading.

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UV Light Effects on Plastic vs Bio-Plastic Bags

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  1. Effect of UV Light on Standard Plastic and Bio-Plastic Bags By: Anthony Disbrow, and Tyler Ista ENG 45 SRJC 12/13/06

  2. Factors • Reflection • Ambient temperature • Humidity • Impurities

  3. Effects • Any UV radiation can cause photochemical effect within polymers. • This effect can be either a benefit, or a detriment. • With respect to plastics, UVC is more likely to have an effect. • Surface of plastics may undergo a color shift, appear chalky, or become brittle.

  4. Effects Continued • Certain polymer systems are able to be cured under UV light at room temperature. • UV curing can also be used on some glasses, semiconductors, optical fibers, dental fillings, inks, paper finishes, and much more. • UV curing can take place in a matter of seconds.

  5. What Happens • UV energy can excite photons, which result in free radicals (atoms or molecules with un-paired electrons). • Small impurities (ppb) can act as free radical receptors, leading to degradation.

  6. Plastic Statistics • One ton of recycled plastic saves: • 5,774 Kwh of energy • 16.3 barrels (685 gallons) of oil • 98 million Btu's of energy • 30 cubic yards of landfill space • Recycled plastic saves 88% of the energy used to produce plastic from raw materials. • Only 26% of HDPE plastic are recycled • Plastics cannot be naturally degraded.

  7. No polyethylene is used . • Made from cornstarch, vegetable oil and other renewable resources. • The Mater-Bi process is protected by more than 70 patents. • Compostable, disposable

  8. Procedure: • Cut plastic bag into a strip 1” x 12”. • Record initial thickness using micrometer. • Record initial width with Verneir calipers. • Clamp one end of bag allowing the strip to hang. • Clamp the other end such that weights can be hung from the clamp. • Measure the initial length of the specimen. • Add weight in 50g increments, record the length after each increment. • Continue the previous step until the specimen breaks. • After breakage record the final length, thickness and width.

  9. Test Setup

  10. The End Result

  11. Conclusions • Just the tensile test alone was not enough to reach a solid conclusion. • The creep properties of the plastic appeared to be affected. • The stress strain curve alone cannot show the elongation for a given time period. • We observed the samples exposed to more UV light crept the slowest.

  12. Sources • http://www.zeusinc.com/cgi-bin/search.exe?q=UV • http://www.masterbond.com/wbarticles/wbuv.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet • http://www.biogroupusa.com/catering.htm • http://www.biobag.at/produkte/bio_bag/bag_4_life/ • http://www.greenerchoices.org/products.cfm?product=plastic&pcat=homegarden • http://www.deq.state.ms.us/MDEQ.nsf/page/Recycling_RecyclingTrivia?OpenDocument

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