Recycled polypropylene for food contact: employment of a-C:H thin films by plasma deposition and degradation in the presence of contaminants

• Grant number: 16/25703-2
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: July 01, 2017 - June 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal researcher: Sandra Andrea Cruz
• Grantee: Sandra Andrea Cruz
• Home Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 17/24316-8 - Degradation study of clarified polypropylene in presence of a-C:H contaminants and films: use of parallel plate rheometer and thermal analysis, BP.TT

Abstract

In this project, initially the clarified polypropylene will be contaminated with a series of contaminants stipulated by FDA. After that the samples will be recovered and reprocessed by extrusion. Different chemical structures of a-C:H thin films (diamond like carbon and polymer like carbon) are evaluated as functional barrier. The thin films will be deposited by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD). The chemical structure will be evaluated by infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy and RAMAN. Before the deposition processes, the samples will be treated with oxygen plasma and the superficial modification evaluated by contact angle as well as atomic force microscopy. The functional barrier will be evaluated by migration tests. At a later stage, the influence of the presence of contaminants as well as the a-C:H films on the degradation of clarified PP during the recycling process will be analysed. The degradation will be evaluated by DSC, OIT, TGA, DMTA and parallel plate rheometry. (AU)