Bio-based Polyethylene–Lignin Composites Containing a Pro-oxidant/Pro-degradant Additive: Preparation and Characterization

Formulations of low cost bio-based oxo-biodegradable polyethylene (PE)/Lignin hybrid polymeric composites were prepared by using ethylene/vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer as compatibilizer and a transition metal salt as oxo-biodegradation promoter. The hybrid composites and relevant Lignin-free blends were formulated by following a statistical mixture design. The effect of Lignin, pro-degradant additive, EVA copolymer and their compatibility with the PE continuous matrix, was evaluated by means of structural features by attenuated total reflectance, morphological by scanning electron microscopy, thermal by differential scanning calorimetry and thermo-gravimetric analysis and mechanical properties by an Instron Machine. The results attained in this study, regarding especially the thermal and mechanical properties, suggest that bio-based oxo-biodegradable hybrid composites offer an interesting way to produce low cost bio-based materials with fairly enhanced properties. The moderate-low cost hybrid materials appear to be attractive for their potential in the mercantile area of commodities including: packaging, personal care products, agricultural mulch films and disposable items. This will constitute a novel added-value contribution aimed at mitigating the environmental burden caused by plastic waste items improperly abandoned in the environment.