We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Wettability after Artificial and Natural Weathering of Polyethylene Terephthalate
Summary
Researchers systematically studied how artificial and natural weathering of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) changes its surface wettability, finding that contact angle measurements combined with FTIR analysis can reliably track the progression of plastic degradation in aquatic environments.
The weathering of plastics is always accompanied by a change in surface properties, especially wettability in the case of water. For plastics weathering in an aquatic environment, wettability plays an important role in transport, sedimentation, and dispersion in the water body. To quantify wettability, contact angle measurement is a fast and convenient method that requires little experimental effort. This technique was used with the aim of systematically discussing how measured values of contact angles can contribute to the assessment of the weathering state. Using polyethylene terephthalate (PET), wetting was analyzed on samples from artificial weathering and from controlled, natural weathering. Surface analytical methods were used (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet and visible light spectroscopy (UV/VIS)) to analyze the parameters affecting the contact angle: (i) chemical bond breaking and formation, (ii) eco-corona formation and biofilm growth, and (iii) change in surface structure and roughness. It was found that wettability with water increased during weathering in all cases. The reasons for this varied and depended on the method of weathering. The improved wettability during artificial weathering was due to changes in the polymer surface chemistry. In natural weathering, however, the formation of eco-corona and biofilm was responsible for the changes.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Changes in the Chemical Composition of Polyethylene Terephthalate under UV Radiation in Various Environmental Conditions.
Researchers exposed polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to UV radiation under controlled humidity conditions and tracked changes in its chemical composition, finding progressive oxidation and chain scission that alter the polymer's surface properties. Understanding how PET degrades under UV exposure is important for predicting how PET microplastics form and what chemical changes make them more or less bioavailable.
Insights into the degradation mechanism of PET and PP under marine conditions using FTIR
Researchers investigated the natural degradation of polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate plastics under real marine conditions using FTIR spectroscopy, providing insights into how these common plastics break down in ocean environments.
From cracks to secondary microplastics - surface characterization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) during weathering
Scientists tracked how PET plastic, the material used in water bottles and clothing, develops cracks and eventually breaks into microplastics during exposure to UV light and water. Different forms of PET broke down in different ways and at different speeds, with water-submerged samples showing organized crack networks within 30 days. The study helps explain how everyday plastic products fragment into the microplastics found throughout the environment, with fibers being one of the most common shapes produced.
Rheological Characterization of UV and Shear‐Induced Degradation of Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate): Linking Environmental and Processing Histories to Recyclability
Researchers studied how UV light exposure and mechanical processing degrade PET plastic at the molecular level. They found that UV aging in water environments causes the plastic chains to break apart, while dry conditions promote crosslinking, and that even a single round of recycling processing dramatically reduces crystal size and releases volatile byproducts. The study reveals that both environmental weathering and recycling significantly weaken PET's mechanical properties, which has implications for both microplastic generation and plastic recyclability.
AQuantitative Relationshipbetween Settling and Wettabilityfor Weathered Microplastics in Aquatic Systems
Researchers quantified the relationship between surface wettability and settling velocity for weathered microplastics in aquatic systems, demonstrating that wettability-driven microscale changes at the particle-water interface modify drag forces and thus govern the transport and fate of submillimeter plastic particles.