Fragmentation of polypropylene/polyethylene terephthalate (PP/PET) polymer blends and generation of micro and nanoplastics: Effect of compatibilization

Abstract

The release of microplastics and nanoplastics currently represents a serious environmental and health issue. Polymer blends can be a significant source of micro- and nanoplastics because they combine a dispersed phase (already in microplastic size) and a matrix that, upon degradation, generates additional particles. However, limited research has specifically focused on microplastics derived from polymer blends. In this preliminary work, two fossil-based polymer blends (without and with a compatibilizer) were subjected to fragmentation in order to simulate one of the main mechanisms of microplastic generation, and the influence of compatibilization. The first, remarkable results showed that compatibilization significantly reduced this release. Further investigation will be needed regarding other degradation factors.