UV-Resistant Plastics Using Titanium Dioxide/Zinc oxide Nanocomposites

Plastics are widely used polymers that are increasingly used outdoors. Polymers undergo changes in appearance under different weather and UV conditions. Typically, these materials undergo prolonged exposure to UV light, change color, and mechanical properties, including reduced tensile strength and impact resistance, brittleness, cracking, and flaking. Nanotechnology, along with other research fields such as life sciences, physics, chemistry, medicine, engineering, cognitive sciences and information technology, has gained considerable importance due to its wide range of applications. A variety of nanoparticles (NPs) reinforced composites have been developed that typically consist of up to 5% w/w NPs. The addition of NPs into films has made end-products fire resistant, lightweight, stronger in thermal and mechanical performance and less permeable to moisture and gases. When incorporated in plastic films, nanoparticles-such as zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) are capable of reducing the flow of oxygen inside packaging containers. This patent revealed on method for using ZnO/TiO2 NPS in plastic as making (bio) polymers in order to improve their mechanical properties. The sol-gel method was used to fabricate the nanoparticles and then nitric acid was added as a drip catalyst. They were then calcined at 675°C. XRD and SEM analysis were used to characterize the prepared powder. Recycled plastics were exposed to UV radiation for 3 days and it was observed that in the control sample, the color of the plastics changed.