Biodegradable polymeric composites filled with industrial waste materials for mulching coatings

Abstract

Plastic mulch films protect moisture, are transparent with respect of the sunbeams and thus contribute to the increase of the temperature of soil, they also effectively protect from the germination of weeds and can be used for mulching of big areas. The aim of this work was the preparation of biodegradable polymeric composites from renewable recourses filled with industrial waste materials which could be applied as mulching films in agriculture and forestry. Linseed oil-based polymer with bisphosphonate crosslinks was used as polymeric binder in prepared composites. The following industrial waste materials were used as fillers: horn meal, phosphogypsum, rapeseed cake, pine needles, pine bark, grain mill waste, and mix of grain waste and weeds. After decomposition of such polymeric composite mulches, the released fillers of natural origin could improve the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil, increase the amount of nutrients and humus in it and thus stimulate the growth of plants. Polymeric composite films were formed by casting from solution of the mixture consisting of epoxidized linseed oil, 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid, and different amounts of industrial waste materials. Dependency of composite film curing time on temperature, dilution, filler type and amount was investigated. Mechanical and thermal properties, combustibility, moisture permeability, surface wetting, swelling in water, and biodegradability of the formed polymeric composite films were investigated. The results of the soil burial test of the selected polymeric composites with two different fillers are shown in Figure 1. [...]