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Degradation of Polycaprolactone Modified with TPS or CaCO3 in Biotic/Abiotic Seawater

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Abstract

This paper is an investigation of the polymer degradation process in two types of seawater (with and without microorganisms) sourced from the Baltic Sea. The chosen polymeric materials were polycaprolactone modified with either thermoplastic starch (PCL/TPS > 85%) or calcium carbonate (60% PCL/40% CaCO3) compared directly against unmodified polycaprolactone. All samples were incubated for 28 weeks in seawater with and without microorganisms under laboratory conditions and analysed before and after the degradation process. Weight loss analysis, microscopic observations of polymer surfaces and tensile strength tests were used to determine the progress of polymer degradation. The experimental results obtained indicated, that in each of the experiments, degradation of tested polymeric samples occured. The process was more effective in seawater with microorganisms compared against systems without added microorganisms. The experiment in seawater demonstrated that modification of PCL with calcium carbonate did not encourage the degradation process; and in some circumstances inhibited it.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education (project number) NN 305 23 06 35.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Faculty, Polymer Technology Department, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza Street 11/12, 80-233, Gdansk, Poland

    Agnieszka Guzman-Sielicka, Helena Janik & Przemysław Sielicki

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  1. Agnieszka Guzman-Sielicka
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  2. Helena Janik
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  3. Przemysław Sielicki
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Correspondence to Agnieszka Guzman-Sielicka.

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Guzman-Sielicka, A., Janik, H. & Sielicki, P. Degradation of Polycaprolactone Modified with TPS or CaCO3 in Biotic/Abiotic Seawater. J Polym Environ 20, 353–360 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-011-0384-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-011-0384-3

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