An experimental and theoretical study of the erosion of semi-crystalline polymers and the subsequent generation of microparticles

The increase of plastics and microplastics in the environment is a major environmental challenge. Still, little is known about the degradation kinetics of macroplastics into smaller particles, under the joint actions of micro-organisms and physico-chemical factors, like UV or mechanical constraints....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Soft matter 2019-10, Vol.15 (41), p.832-8312
Main Authors: Gaillard, Thibaut, George, Matthieu, Gastaldi, Emmanuelle, Nallet, Frdric, Fabre, Pascale
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accelerated erosion
Condensed Matter
Crack propagation
Crystal structure
Crystallinity
Degradation
Erosion rates
Fracture mechanics
Heterogeneity
Kinetics
Materials Science
Mechanical properties
Microparticles
Microplastics
Organic chemistry
Pattern formation
Physics
Plastic debris
Polymers
Soft Condensed Matter
Spherulites
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Summary:The increase of plastics and microplastics in the environment is a major environmental challenge. Still, little is known about the degradation kinetics of macroplastics into smaller particles, under the joint actions of micro-organisms and physico-chemical factors, like UV or mechanical constraints. In order to gain insight into (bio)-degradation in various media, we perform accelerated erosion experiments by using a well-known enzymatic system. We show that the microstructure of semi-crystalline polymers plays a crucial role in the pattern formation at their surface. For the first time, the release of fragments of micrometric size is evidenced, through a mechanism that does not involve fracture propagation. A geometric erosion model allows a quantitative understanding of erosion rates and surface patterns, and provides a critical heterogeneity size, parting two types of behavior: spherulites either released, or eroded in situ . This new geometric approach could constitute a useful tool to predict the erosion kinetics and micro-particle generation in various media. Degradation of a semi-crystalline polymer, via an enzymatic erosion experiment, evidences microstructure dependent surface patterns and microparticles release. A generic geometric model accounts for the mass loss and predicts a critical release size.
ISSN:1744-683X
1744-6848
DOI:10.1039/c9sm01482a