Investigations on Corn-Starch Modified Low Density Polyethylene

Investigations were carried out on the biodegradation of low and high density polyethylene modified with different concentrations by mass of corn-starch. Convectional plastics such as Low and High Density polyethylene (LDPE/HDPE) are widely used in all fields of life; therefore constitute the greatest municipal waste products due to their inertness to biological attack moisture and weather conditions. Corn-starch which is a biofiller was characterized to ensure its suitability in the blending of synthetic plastics like LDPE. Mechanical tests and percentage weight-loss properties of the corn-starch modified low density polyethylene were investigated before and after soil burial test. The evidence of biodegradation was exhibited on the reduced tensile strength elongation at break increased water absorption and other properties of the blended films as against the pure LDPE.