Studies on the properties and characterisation of ldpe pla blends with nanoclay for packaging films

Abstract

Demand for the user-friendly materials in-order to cater the needs of mankind was largely accomplished with the advent of plastics and its application in all spheres of life which was once dominated by jute, cotton, silk. Leather, wood, metals etc. Discarding them improperly, led to residual wastes especially by the disposable items like packaging materials, medical wastes, electrical and electronic wastes, household wastes and catering materials creating a visible pollution in the environment thereby giving space for the opponents of plastics and dependence on fossil fuels. The massive use of synthetic plastics, particularly in the food packaging industry, created a hostile environmental impact, and health impact, hence alternative materials which can be more biocompatible are being required. Moreover, non-degradable synthetic polymers should be converted to degradable ones; either photo degradable, biodegradable or both to protect the earth from contamination. Educating the people to avoid littering, encouraging to collect plastic wastes, reusing and recycling the wastes are another ways by which the earth can be protected. Despite all the environmental issues, plastics are very successful in the packaging market, due to their great combination of flexibility (from films to rigid applications), strength, transparency, stability, permeability and ease of sterilization, all of which making them suitable for food packaging. Technological developments and hence the wide prospects in the field of research about polymers - both bio-polymers and synthetic polymersis the accepted way to find a solution for this. Degradable plastics made ascomposites are gaining importance worldwide and various materials are being developed. Bio polymers can be used as a substitute to the non-biodegradable polymers among which Poly-lactic acid (PLA) and starch have been extensively studied as potential replacements for non-degradable petrochemical polymers on the basis of their availability, adequate food contact properties and competit