The contamination of foods with hydrocarbon mixtures migrating from food contact materials (FCM) was first observed for jute and sisal bags treated with batching oil in the 1990s. Since the millennium, the focus has shifted to printing inks and recycled cardboard packaging as most recognized sources for hydrocarbon contamination from FCM. Mineral oil containing printing inks can either release hydrocarbons directly from the printing of folding boxes into food or indirectly entering the recycling chain of cardboard material by printed products, such as newspapers. The contamination of dry foods with mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) from recycled fiber packaging has been reported to reach up to 100 mg/kg [1]. Using LC-GC-FID technique the MOH were categorized into mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH). The molecular mass, which is assumed to be toxicological relevant, is derived from the GC retention times of accumulated MOSH in human tissues and is limited to n C16 to n-C35 [2]. MOSH is the most significant contaminant of the human body reaching 1-10 g per person, which is of particular concern since a formation of microgranulomas (causing inflammatory reactions) in the liver was observed in rats fed with saturated hydrocarbons [3]. Furthermore, some MOAH are assumed to be genotoxic analogous to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [3]. In the latest draft of a German ‘Mineral Oil Regulation’ the following limits for the migration of MOH from recycled fiber are proposed: for MOSH C16-20 4.0 mg/kg, MOSH C21-35 2.0 mg/kg and for MOAH 0.5 mg per kg food [4]. Functional barriers reducing the migration of undesirable compounds from recycled cardboards (such as MOH and other contaminants) could be a part of the solution for this issue. Supporting that approach in this study, the boxes of recycled cardboard featuring a barrier layer on the internal surface or an integrated adsorbent available early in 2014 were investigated for their efficiency in reducing migration of mineral oil hydrocarbons into dry food. A practice-oriented one-year storage test was performed with wheat flakes in seven configurations: a box of virgin fibers, two boxes of unprotected recycled cardboard, three cardboards with barrier layers (a flexo-printed polyacrylate layer, a polyvinyl alcohol coating and a multilayer involving polyester) and a cardboard containing activated carbon. The highest migration of MOH (C16-24) was observed in the boxes of unprotected recycled cardboard (MOSH: 11.4 mg/kg, MOAH: 2.4 mg/kg). Of the three investigated barrier layers only two reduced migration of MOH into food below the limits of the 3rd draft of the German mineral oil ordinance (2014) until the end of shelf life. The cardboard box involving active carbon as adsorbent prevented detectable migration of mineral oil hydrocarbons (<0.1 mg/kg). In the case of virgin fiber, which was virtually free of MOH (<1 mg/kg), migration close to the proposed limits was detected (C16-24, MOSH: 1.5 mg/kg, MOAH: 0.4 mg/kg). Therefore, it has been proven that the transport box (corrugated board) substantially contributed to the transfer of MOH into food. Plastic FCM can also release hydrocarbons, such as polyolefin oligomeric hydrocarbons (POH), into food. These POH are of synthetic nature and are formed during the polymerization process of polyolefins (150 – 3000 mg/kg in granulates of homo/hetero polymers involving ethylene and propylene). This group of synthetic contaminants contain also saturated hydrocarbons (POSH) analogous to mineral oils, but contrary no aromatic hydrocarbons. Further, a significant amount (10 – 50%) of monounsaturated hydrocarbons (POMH) was determined in the oligomeric fraction of polyolefins, which are not detectable in mineral oil products. Therefore, these POMH can be used as a marker for POH migration. A method based on two-dimensional high performance liquid chromatography on-line coupled to gas chromatography (on-line HPLC-HPLC-GC) was developed to enable the separate analysis of saturated, monounsaturated and aromatic hydrocarbons in extracts of packaging materials like polyolefins or paperboard and foods, repectively. It is an extension of the HPLC-GC method for MOSH and MOAH [1] using an additional argentation HPLC column, since normal-phase HPLC on silica gel did not preseparate saturated from monounsaturated hydrocarbons. Further, this method and comprehensive two-dimensional GC (GCxGC) was used to investigate the concentration of different oligomer types in polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) based sealing layers as well as their corresponding granulates. The analyzed sealing layers contained 180-995 mg/kg POSH and 90-435 mg/kg POMH (C16-35). Only in sealing layers involving low-density PE, oxidized polyolefin oligomers as well as cyclic oligomers (alkylated cyclopentanes and hexanes) have been detected. The transfer of POH (C16-35) from the investigated sealing layers into food can be substantial (>50%) and can reach more than 2 mg per kg food. The level of contamination depends on the oligomer content of the sealing layer, the fat content of the food, the processing temperature and the surface-volume ratio. Hot melt adhesives are widely utilized to glue cardboard boxes used as food packaging material. The analysed raw materials of hot melts mainly consisted of paraffinic waxes, hydrocarbon resins and polyolefins. The hydrocarbon resins, functioning as tackifiers, were the predominant source of hydrocarbons of sufficient volatility to migrate via gaseous phase into dry foods. The 18 hydrocarbon resins analyzed contained 8.2-118 g/kg saturated and up to 59 g/kg aromatic hydrocarbons (C16-24). These synthetic tackfier resins, especially the oligomers ≤C24, have been characterized structurally and migration into food was estimated using a food simulant and by the analysis of real food samples. About 0.5-1.5 % of the potentially migrating substances (C16 24) of a hot melt were found to be transferred into food under storage conditions, which can result in a food contamination of approximately 1 mg/kg food in this case. The order of magnitude depends on the absolute amount of potentially migrating substances from the hot melt, the hot melt surface, contact time, amount and type of foods.

1 Ziel und Gegenstand der Untersuchungen Gegenstand der vorliegenden Arbeit war die Synthese und Charakterisierung von polaren Olefin-basierten Makromonomeren mit Hilfe von Metallocen-Katalysatoren. Polyolefine stellen eine Gruppe von Polymeren dar, die durch Additive oder chemische Veränderungen modifiziert, eine große Vielfalt von Einsatzmöglichkeiten auf der Basis einfach aufgebauter Monomere bieten. Sie stellen deshalb heutzutage die wichtigste Kunststoffgruppe dar. Ein Nachteil ist jedoch die unpolare Struktur dieser Polymere. Ziel dieser Arbeit war die Homopolymerisation polarer Olefine, um ein funktionalisiertes Polyolefin zu erzeugen, dass zudem auch als Makromonomer einsetzbar ist. Als Katalysatoren wurden im Wesentlichen die klassischen Metallocene auf Zr-Basis eingesetzt, aktiviert mit MAO. Die Makromonomere wurden im Anschluss an die Synthese umfassend charakterisiert. 2 Ergebnisse Zur Synthese wurde das bekannte 10-Undecen-1-ol (Undecenol) eingesetzt. Für eine erfolgreiche Homopolymerisation dieses Monomers ist eine effektive Abschirmung des Katalysators gegenüber der polaren Gruppe zur Minimierung der Deaktivierung des Katalysators zu gewährleisten. Für die Einführung von Schutzgruppen fand Triisobutylaluminium (TIBA) Verwendung. Auf diese Weise konnte erstmalig erfolgreich die Synthese von Polyundecenol mit Metallocen-Katalysatoren durchgeführt werden. Es zeigte sich, dass Undecenol als polares und zugleich sterisch anspruchsvolles Monomer mit der überwiegenden Anzahl der eingesetzten Metallocene schwierig zu polymerisieren ist, was im Vergleich zur Polymerisation von kurzkettigen 1 Olefinen, wie zum Beispiel Propen, anhand von geringen Molmassen (< 2000 g/mol) aber auch geringen Ausbeuten zum Ausdruck kommt. Die erzielten Molmassen der Polyundecenole sind jedoch für die Verwendung als Makromonomer vorteilhaft. Die höchsten Polymerausbeuten ermöglichte der Einsatz von ansa-Metallocenen. Mit dem Katalysator Et[Ind]2ZrCl2 konnten hierbei relative Ausbeuten im Bereich von 50 % bis 60 % bei gleichzeitig geeigneten Molmassen von < 10^4 g/mol erzielt werden. Bei der Verwendung von unverbrückten Metallocenen (bis-Cyclopentadienylkomplexe) sind die Ausbeuten und Molmassen im Vergleich zu den ansa-Metallocenen deutlich reduziert. Die synthetisierten Polyundecenole wurden hinsichtlich ihres Schmelz- und Kristallisationsverhaltens sowie der kristallinen Struktur untersucht und der Zusammenhang mit der Taktizität und der Molmasse der Polymere hergestellt. Die Ergebnisse der DSC und WAXS Untersuchungen lassen darauf schließen, dass für ataktische und isotaktische Polyundecenole eine Seitenkettenkristallisation als primäre Form der Kristallisation vorliegt. Aufgrund des hohen Gehalts von Hydroxylgruppen, die durch Wasserstoffbrückenbindungen wechselwirken, weist Polyundecenol hohe Schmelztemperaturen auf, im Vergleich mit dem unpolaren Poly(1-Undecen). So besitzt isotaktisches und auch ataktisches Polyundecenol bei vergleichbaren Molmassen eine um rund 80 K höhere Schmelztemperatur als Poly(1-Undecen). Die Wechselwirkung der Hydroxylgruppen wurde mittels FTIR-Spektroskopie nachgewiesen und liegt auch im geschmolzenen Zustand der Polymere vor. Anhand der Ergebnisse von WAXS-Untersuchungen konnte gezeigt werden, dass Polyundecenol in smektischen Schichten kristallisiert. Der Abstand zwischen den Hauptketten entspricht etwa zwei vollständig gestreckten Seitenketten des Polymers, welche orthogonal zur Hauptkette angeordnet sind. Diese Schicht-Anordnung wurde unabhängig von Molmasse und Taktizität der Polymere nachgewiesen und lässt die Schlussfolgerung zu, dass die Kristallisation isotaktischer Rückgrat-Ketten gegenüber der Seitenketten-Kristallisation unterdrückt ist. Es wurde jedoch beobachtet, dass die Taktizität einen Einfluss auf die Kristallisation hat. Polyundecenole mit isotaktischer Hauptkette weisen bei entsprechend langsamer Kristallisation eine Anordnung der Seitenketten in einer monoklinen Packung auf, was als Hinweis auf eine Kristallisation der Hauptkette interpretiert wird, auch wenn diese im Rahmen der Arbeit nicht eindeutig nachgewiesen werden konnte. Bei Polyundecenolen mit ataktischer Hauptkette ordnen sich die Seitenketten hingegen in einer hexagonalen Packung an, da die Hauptkette nicht in der Lage ist zu kristallisieren. Von besonderer Bedeutung für die Synthese der Polyundecenole waren einerseits die erzielbaren Polymerausbeuten, andererseits aber auch die Einführung geeigneter Endgruppen, welche ausschlaggebend sind für eine Nutzung als Makromonomer. Die Untersuchungen zum Polymerisationsverhalten verschiedener Metallocen-Katalysatoren zeigten, dass im Falle von ansa-Metallocenen sowie einem "CGC"-Komplex Polymere erhalten werden, die vor allem Endgruppen mit internen Doppelbindungen, doppelt- und dreifachsubstituiert, aufweisen. Solche Endgruppen sind jedoch für einen späteren Einsatz der Polymere als Makromonomer ungeeignet. Der Einsatz von unverbrückten Metallocen-Katalysatoren auf Basis der Biscyclopentadienyl-Struktur ermöglicht hingegen die Synthese von Polyundecenol mit einem hohen Anteil endständiger Vinyliden-Endgruppen zu synthetisieren. Die so erreichten Vinyliden-Endgruppenanteile bewegten sich nahezu unabhängig vom Katalysator im Bereich von etwa 85 % bis 90 %. Ein wesentliches Ergebnis der Arbeit stellt die Synthese von Polyundecenol mit Allyl-Endgruppen dar. Dieses wurde durch gezielte Kettenabbruchreaktionen mit Hilfe von Vinylchlorid erreicht. Bei Einsatz des Katalysator MBI konnten Anteile der favorisierten Allyl-Endgruppe von rund 90 % erreicht werden. Somit wurden auf diesem Wege erstmalig erfolgreich Polyundecenol-Makromonomere synthetisiert. Ein Einsatz dieser Polymere in der Copolymerisation mit Propen wurde aber durch geringe Ausbeuten verhindert. Jedoch konnte gezeigt werden, dass der Einsatz von Vinylchlorid die Synthese von Polyundecenol-Makromonomeren ermöglicht.

Plastic waste is accumulated in landfills and the environment at an exponentially increasing rate. Currently, about 350 million tons of plastic waste is generated annually while only 9% is recycled. Plastic waste and its degradation products, microplastics, pose a severe threat to the ecosystem and eventually human health. Polyolefin (Polyethylene (PE) and Polypropylene (PP)) waste is 63% of the total plastic waste. Converting polyolefin waste into useful products including clean gasoline, diesel, wax, and monomers, via hydrothermal processing (HTP) can help reduce the plastic waste accumulation. In this study, sorted PE waste was converted via supercritical water liquefaction (SWL) into gasoline blendstock, No.1 ultra-low-sulfur diesel, and clean waxes with high yields and high purities. Comprehensive reaction pathways for PE conversion were proposed based on detailed GC×GC analyses. Furthermore, a new low-pressure (~2 MPa) hydrothermal processing (LP-HTP) method was developed to convert mixed polyolefin waste. This new LP-HTP method can save 90% of the capital cost and energy compared to SWL. The oil products were distilled into clean gasoline and No.1 ultra-low-sulfur diesel. The reaction pathways of PE and PP were independent while the synergistic effects improved the fuel qualities. With this LP-HTP method, polyolefin waste can be converted into up to 190 million tons of fuels globally, while 92% of the energy and 71% of the GHG emissions can be saved compared to conventional methods for producing fuels. Overall, this method is robust, flexible, energy-efficient, and environmental-friendly. It has a great potential for reducing the polyolefin waste accumulation in the environment and associated risks to human health.<br>

<p>Prema postojećem tumačenju Ziegler-Natta polimerizacije, smatra se da se prekursor prelaznog metala (Mt) aktivira pomoću alkila metala, a da se rast polimernog lanca ostvaruje umetanjem monomera između Mt i rastućeg polimernog lanca. Postoje mnoga neslaganja eksperimentalnih činjenica sa tumačenjem polimerizacije mehanizmom insertacije. U ovom radu predložen je novi mehanizam polimerizacije olefina pomoću jedinjenja prelaznih metala perkolacijom naelektrisanja (CPM): makromolekulski lanac nastaje polimerizacijorm grozda monomera (nM) koji je adsorbovan na nosaču (S) između dva adsorbovana prelazna metala, jednog u vi&scaron;em (Mt⁺⁴), a drugog u nižem oksidacionom stanju (Mt⁺²):</p><p style="text-align: center;">( Mt^n+1...nM^...Mtⁿ⁺¹)/S&nbsp;&rarr;(MtⁿMtⁿ)/S + polimer.</p><p>Novi&nbsp;mehanizam polimerizacije perkoracijom naelektrisanja potvrđen je eksperimentalnim podacima, matematičkim proračunima i kompjuterskim simulacijama. U radu je prvo ukazano na značaj dosada&scaron;njih istraživanja i dat je prikaz pojedinih eksperimentalnih činjenica koje potvrđuju perkolacioni model polimerizacije. Po principu Monte-Carlo simulacija, napravljen je novi specijalni kompjuterski program &quot;Lattice&quot; koji omogućuje simulaciju polimerizacije olefina pomoću CPM. U radu je dat detaljan opis kompjuterskog programa &quot;Lattice&quot; i oja&scaron;njeno je na koji način se eksperimentalni parametri prevode u parametre perkolacionog modela polimerizacije. Na osnovu matematičkog proračuna i kompjuterske simulacije (primenom teorije Kobozeva) predviđen je uticaj sadržaja prelaznog metala na nosaču na produktivnost metala i nosača, &scaron;to je potvrđeno eksperimentalnim podacima. U radu je prikazano na koji način promene: tipa nosača, početne povr&scaron;inske koncentracije monomera, koncentracije prelaznim metala redosledu dodavanja reagujućih komponenti, utiču na grafiku brzina polimerizacije - vreme. Primenom perkolacionog modela polimerizacije obja&scaron;njene su eksperimentalne činjenice koje do sad nisu mogle biti potpuno obja&scaron;njene primenom mehanizma insertacije.</p> / <p>According the current explanation of Ziegler-Natta polymerization, transition metal (Mt)<br />is activated by alkyl group and vacant orbital are formed. It is belived that polymer<br />chain propagates by monomer insertion between Mt and growing polymer chain. It has also been known that by using existing insertion mechanism of the polymerization,<br />some experimentally proved facts cannot be explained completely. In this paper new<br />charge percolation mechanism (CPM) of olefin polymeiization by supported Mt<br />complexes is presented: a macromolecular chain is formed polymerization of<br />monomer cluster (nM) adsorbed at the support (S) between two immobilised Mt ions,<br />one in the higher (Mt⁺⁴) and the other in the lower (Mt⁺²) oxidation state:</p><p style="text-align: center;">( Mtn+1...nM...Mtn+1)/S &rarr;(MtnMtn)/S + polymer.</p><p>New CPM has been confirmed by published experimental data, by calculating and by computer simulation. First it has been clarified the signifigance of the existing<br />experiment and some experimental facts wich are confrlmed by CPM are shown. A special computer program &quot;Lattice&quot; has been developed to simulate olefin<br />polymerization based on CPM using Monte Carlo procedure. In this work it is explanied<br />how the polymerization parametar from real experiments are transfered to percolation<br />and simulation parametars. The effects of thesurface concentration of active centres on<br />metal productivities and support productivites has been predicted by the calculating and computer simulation (using catalytic theory of Kobozev) and confirmed by real<br />experimental data. In this work it is also shown how the polymer structure and tipe of<br />the curve polymerization rate/time depend on reaction conditions (Mt concentration, tipe of the support, Mt/S ratio, sequence of chemical components addition, time). At the end the experimental facts which couldn&#39;t have been explained completaly ty insertion<br />mechanism are explanied using CpM.</p><p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p>

The objective of the study is to improve the interfacial adhesion between the wood fibers and thermoplastic matrix. Efforts were also directed towards improving manufacturing processes so as to realize the full potential of wood fibers as reinforcing fillers. Chemical coupling plays an important role in improving interfacial bonding strength in wood-polymer composites. A novel compatibilizer with isocyanate functional group was synthesized by grafting m-Isopropenyl –α –α –dimethylbenzyl-isocyanate (m-TMI) onto isotactic polypropylene using reactive extrusion process. The compatibilizer was characterized with respect to its nature, concentration and location of functional group, and molecular weight. There are two main process issues when blending polymers with incompatible filler: (1) creating and maintaining the target morphology, and (2) doing so with minimum degradation of fillers. A 28mm co-rotating intermeshing twin screw extrusion system was custom built and the design optimized for (1) blending biological fibers with thermoplastics, and (2) for melt phase fictionalization of thermoplastics by reactive extrusion. To assess the effect of inclusion of wood fibers in polypropylene composites, a series of polypropylene wood fiber/wood flour filled composite materials having 10 to 50 wt % of wood content were prepared using the co-rotating twin screw extrusion system. m-TMI-g-PP and MAPP were used as coupling agents. Addition of wood fibers, at all levels, resulted in more rigid and tenacious composites. The continuous improvement in properties of the composites with the increasing wood filler is attributed to the effective reinforcement of low modulus polypropylene matrix with the high modulus wood filler. Studies on were also undertaken to understand effect of particle morphology, type and concentration of coupling agent, and effect of process additives on mechanical properties. Composites prepared with m-TMI-grafted-PP were much superior to the composites prepared with conventionally used maleated polypropylene in all the cases. Non-destructive evaluation of dynamic modulus of elasticity (MoE) and shear modulus of wood filled polypropylene composite at various filler contents was carried out from the vibration frequencies of disc shaped specimens. The vibration damping behaviour of the composite material was evaluated. MoE and shear modulus were found to increase whereas damping coefficient decreased with the increasing filler content. Knowledge of moisture uptake and transport properties is useful in estimating moisture related effects such as fungal attack and loss of mechanical strength. Hence, a study was undertaken to asses the moisture absorption by wood filled polypropylene composites. Composites prepared with coupling agents absorbed at least 30% less moisture than composites without compatibilizer. Thermo-gravimetric measurements were also carried out to evaluate the thermal stability and to evaluate kinetic parameters associated with thermal degradation of wood fiber and wood flour filled polypropylene composites. The moisture absorption and thermal behaviour are described based on analytical models. High efficiency filler-anchored catalyst system was prepared by substituting of hydroxyl groups present on the cellulosic filler. The process involves immobilizing the cocatalyst onto the cellulosic filler surface followed by addition of metallocene catalyst and then polymerization of ethylene using this filler supported catalyst. The polymerization and composite formation takes place simultaneously. All the polymerization reactions were carried out in a high-pressure stirred autoclave. Effect of temperature, ethylene pressure, and cocatalyst to catalyst ratios (Al/TM ratios) were also studied. Studies on kinetics of polymerization showed that, higher Al/Zr ratio and higher temperature lead to higher polymerization rates but lower the molecular weight. A model incorporating effect of reaction parameter on polymerization rates has been developed.

The natural product celastrol (1) possesses a wide array of promising biological activities related to diseases characterized by protein misfolding including those associated with neuronal degradation, inflammation, and cancer. Relevant to cancer, celastrol functions as a non-ATP-competitive inhibitor of heat shock protein-90, providing a potential lead for the development of new inhibitors with improved pharmacology. A laboratory preparation of the small molecule was undertaken to provide access to the unnatural enantiomer of celastrol. The lack of understanding of the chemistry and biology of the growing class of celastroids is attributed to the incompatibility of biologically inspired polyene cyclization strategies to assemble friedelin triterpenoids. As a result of these problems residing at the interface of chemistry and biology, a purely synthesis-based strategy for polyene cyclizations to rapidly construct the pentacyclic core of the friedelin and celastroid natural products has been developed. This efficient strategy is gram scalable culminating in the first total synthesis of wilforic acid (127) and an advanced intermediate capable of delivering celastrol (1) as well as numerous celastroid natural products. Phenols possess broad utility serving as key materials in all facets of chemical industries, especially the pharmaceutical industry. The ideal synthesis of a phenolic compound entails the direct oxidation of an aryl C-H bond remains to be a difficult synthetic challenge. Following our initial report describing the hydroxylation of arenes using phthaloyl peroxide, new peroxide derivatives were investigated to probe their reactivity in an effort to hydroxylate aromatics which were previously unreactive. Electronically poor to moderately rich arenes were successfully hydroxylated with a broad functional group tolerance using 4,5-dichlorophthaloyl peroxide. This protocol has been applied toward the rapid synthesis of phenolic analogs and metabolites of current pharmaceuticals as well as biocides. Mechanistic studies using kinetic isotope effect, competition, and benzylic oxidation experiments indicate that a novel diradical reverse-rebound mechanism is the likely pathway. Further examination of the transition-state using linear free energy relationships with sigma vs. sigma+ values established a linear trend with a low negative rho value (- 3.92) corresponding best using sigma values supporting a diradical reverse-rebound addition. / text

The contamination of foods with hydrocarbon mixtures migrating from food contact materials (FCM) was first observed for jute and sisal bags treated with batching oil in the 1990s. Since the millennium, the focus has shifted to printing inks and recycled cardboard packaging as most recognized sources for hydrocarbon contamination from FCM. Mineral oil containing printing inks can either release hydrocarbons directly from the printing of folding boxes into food or indirectly entering the recycling chain of cardboard material by printed products, such as newspapers. The contamination of dry foods with mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) from recycled fiber packaging has been reported to reach up to 100 mg/kg [1]. Using LC-GC-FID technique the MOH were categorized into mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH). The molecular mass, which is assumed to be toxicological relevant, is derived from the GC retention times of accumulated MOSH in human tissues and is limited to n C16 to n-C35 [2]. MOSH is the most significant contaminant of the human body reaching 1-10 g per person, which is of particular concern since a formation of microgranulomas (causing inflammatory reactions) in the liver was observed in rats fed with saturated hydrocarbons [3]. Furthermore, some MOAH are assumed to be genotoxic analogous to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [3]. In the latest draft of a German ‘Mineral Oil Regulation’ the following limits for the migration of MOH from recycled fiber are proposed: for MOSH C16-20 4.0 mg/kg, MOSH C21-35 2.0 mg/kg and for MOAH 0.5 mg per kg food [4]. Functional barriers reducing the migration of undesirable compounds from recycled cardboards (such as MOH and other contaminants) could be a part of the solution for this issue. Supporting that approach in this study, the boxes of recycled cardboard featuring a barrier layer on the internal surface or an integrated adsorbent available early in 2014 were investigated for their efficiency in reducing migration of mineral oil hydrocarbons into dry food. A practice-oriented one-year storage test was performed with wheat flakes in seven configurations: a box of virgin fibers, two boxes of unprotected recycled cardboard, three cardboards with barrier layers (a flexo-printed polyacrylate layer, a polyvinyl alcohol coating and a multilayer involving polyester) and a cardboard containing activated carbon. The highest migration of MOH (C16-24) was observed in the boxes of unprotected recycled cardboard (MOSH: 11.4 mg/kg, MOAH: 2.4 mg/kg). Of the three investigated barrier layers only two reduced migration of MOH into food below the limits of the 3rd draft of the German mineral oil ordinance (2014) until the end of shelf life. The cardboard box involving active carbon as adsorbent prevented detectable migration of mineral oil hydrocarbons (<0.1 mg/kg). In the case of virgin fiber, which was virtually free of MOH (<1 mg/kg), migration close to the proposed limits was detected (C16-24, MOSH: 1.5 mg/kg, MOAH: 0.4 mg/kg). Therefore, it has been proven that the transport box (corrugated board) substantially contributed to the transfer of MOH into food. Plastic FCM can also release hydrocarbons, such as polyolefin oligomeric hydrocarbons (POH), into food. These POH are of synthetic nature and are formed during the polymerization process of polyolefins (150 – 3000 mg/kg in granulates of homo/hetero polymers involving ethylene and propylene). This group of synthetic contaminants contain also saturated hydrocarbons (POSH) analogous to mineral oils, but contrary no aromatic hydrocarbons. Further, a significant amount (10 – 50%) of monounsaturated hydrocarbons (POMH) was determined in the oligomeric fraction of polyolefins, which are not detectable in mineral oil products. Therefore, these POMH can be used as a marker for POH migration. A method based on two-dimensional high performance liquid chromatography on-line coupled to gas chromatography (on-line HPLC-HPLC-GC) was developed to enable the separate analysis of saturated, monounsaturated and aromatic hydrocarbons in extracts of packaging materials like polyolefins or paperboard and foods, repectively. It is an extension of the HPLC-GC method for MOSH and MOAH [1] using an additional argentation HPLC column, since normal-phase HPLC on silica gel did not preseparate saturated from monounsaturated hydrocarbons. Further, this method and comprehensive two-dimensional GC (GCxGC) was used to investigate the concentration of different oligomer types in polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) based sealing layers as well as their corresponding granulates. The analyzed sealing layers contained 180-995 mg/kg POSH and 90-435 mg/kg POMH (C16-35). Only in sealing layers involving low-density PE, oxidized polyolefin oligomers as well as cyclic oligomers (alkylated cyclopentanes and hexanes) have been detected. The transfer of POH (C16-35) from the investigated sealing layers into food can be substantial (>50%) and can reach more than 2 mg per kg food. The level of contamination depends on the oligomer content of the sealing layer, the fat content of the food, the processing temperature and the surface-volume ratio. Hot melt adhesives are widely utilized to glue cardboard boxes used as food packaging material. The analysed raw materials of hot melts mainly consisted of paraffinic waxes, hydrocarbon resins and polyolefins. The hydrocarbon resins, functioning as tackifiers, were the predominant source of hydrocarbons of sufficient volatility to migrate via gaseous phase into dry foods. The 18 hydrocarbon resins analyzed contained 8.2-118 g/kg saturated and up to 59 g/kg aromatic hydrocarbons (C16-24). These synthetic tackfier resins, especially the oligomers ≤C24, have been characterized structurally and migration into food was estimated using a food simulant and by the analysis of real food samples. About 0.5-1.5 % of the potentially migrating substances (C16 24) of a hot melt were found to be transferred into food under storage conditions, which can result in a food contamination of approximately 1 mg/kg food in this case. The order of magnitude depends on the absolute amount of potentially migrating substances from the hot melt, the hot melt surface, contact time, amount and type of foods.

Les pièces peintes de pièces extérieures automobiles doivent être réalisées en matériaux respectueux de l’environnement qui combinent à la fois fluidité, propriétés mécaniques et aspect visuel. Dans ce contexte, un polypropylène homopolymère conventionnel (PP) a été extrudé et mélangé de manière homogène avec un PP extrêmement fluide, contenant des espèces réactives dans le but d’augmenter la fluidité du mélange final. Ce procédé réactif a ensuite été appliqué à une formulation commerciale automobile de « PP choc » contenant un copolymère d’Ethylène Propylène Rubber (EPR). Une étude rhéologique a permis de modéliser l’évolution de la viscosité en fonction de la composition du mélange. Néanmoins, l’augmentation de la fluidité s’accompagne d’une diminution de la résistance au choc. De manière à faire face à la perte de propriétés mécaniques, l’utilisation d’élastomères thermoplastiques spécifiques a permis d‘augmenter la résilience au choc et l’allongement à la rupture tout en obtenant une fluidité quatre fois supérieure à celle du matériau original. Les aspects rhéologiques, thermomécaniques et morphologiques ont été soigneusement étudiés afin d’établir des relations entre la structure et les propriétés. Dans un second temps, une étude de la mise en peinture des pièces en polyoléfines injectées a été réalisée. Comme la nature hydrophobe du polypropylène ne permet pas une bonne adhésion du revêtement sur sa surface, son activation par flammage est requise. Les effets de différents paramètres (comme la vitesse, la hauteur ou le rapport air-gaz de la flamme) sont étudiés en termes de mouillabilité et d’adhésion du feuil de peinture. Ensuite, des essais aux échelles laboratoires et industrielles ont révélé un défaut du système peint lorsque le polymère possède une quantité importante de talc. L’impact de cette charge sur les propriétés rhéologiques, thermiques et mécaniques du matériau a été étudié. Il a été observé que le cisaillement sur une formulation dont la matrice polymère n’a pas d’affinité particulière avec la surface du talc est responsable d’un délaminage dans le substrat. Pour améliorer l’interface talc-matrice, l’ajout de copolymères fonctionnalisés d’anhydride maléique a permis d’augmenter le niveau d’interactions. Cet effet a été mis en évidence grâce à l’étude des propriétés rhéologiques et mécaniques du système. / Automotive painted exterior car parts have to be made of eco-friendly materials combining fluidity, mechanical properties and visual aspects. In this context, a conventional polypropylene (PP) homopolymer has been extruded and homogeneously blended with an extremely high flow PP, containing reactive species to increase the fluidity of the resulting material. The reactive process was then applied to an automotive high impact PP/Ethylene Propylene Rubber (EPR) formulation and rheological studies allowed us to model the evolution of viscosity as a function of the blend composition. Nevertheless, the increase of fluidity induces a lack of impact resistance. In order to cope with the loss of mechanical properties, the use of a specific thermoplastic elastomers allowed to successfully emphasize impact resilience and strain at break while reaching a viscosity four times lower than the one of the original material. Rheological, thermomechanical and morphological aspects were examined carefully to establish structure-properties relationships. In a second time, a study of the painting of automotive car parts, made of injected polyolefins was carried out. As the hydrophobic nature of polypropylene does not allow a good adhesion between the coating and the polymer surface, the surface activation by flame treatment is required. The effects of different parameters (such as speed, height or air to fuel ratio of the flame) were studied in terms of wettability and coating adhesion. Then, lab-scale as well as pre-industrial experiments revealed defaults of the painted systems when the polymer was highly filled with talc. Then, the impact of the filler on the rheological, thermal and mechanical properties was studied. It was observed that the effects of shear on a formulation where the polymer matrix has no particular physical affinity with the talc surface are responsible of delamination. To enhance the talc-matrix interface, the addition of maleated copolymers pointed out that maleated copolymers increase the level of interactions and lead to a more homogeneous behavior, as revealed by studying both rheological and mechanical properties.

No description available.

The current and forecasted global consumption of plastic packaging and products through the 21st century combined with the already reported and growing negative impact of plastics on the environment due to plastics being synthesized from nonrenewable resources that do not biodegrade is of serious concern. However, recent advances in starch technology including the development of thermoplastic starch (TPS) materials —polymers that are both renewable and biodegradable—have brought hope to reducing this impact. The mechanical properties of thermoplastic starch have often been improved by blending with synthetic polymers. One issue that arises with blending is volatilization of the melt from moisture in the TPS materials. Ecostarch™ a proprietary, pelletized thermoplastic starch resin formulated from potato starch, was processed and tested to observe injection molding processability at various moisture levels, in pure TPS as well as various blend ratios with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP). This study evaluated and analyzed the effects of the TPS pellet moisture content on void formation in the plastic pre-injection melt and subsequent molded part mechanical properties. Statistical analysis of the test results showed that moisture had a significant effect on void formation in the plastic melt. In TPS/HDPE blends, voids percent (as measured by cross section area) increased by 300-350% from 0.6% to 1.4% moisture levels. In unblended TPS, void percent increased by 150% from 0.4% to 1.4% moisture levels. In the unblended TPS parts, impact strength (energy in ft-lb) was decreased by 1% from 0.6% to 1.4% moisture level. In the TPS/HDPE and TPS/PP blends, there was no significant effect on impact strength due to the moisture percent levels of the TPS. Modulus decreased by 25% from 0.4% to 1.4% moisture level in unblended TPS parts. From 0.6% to 1.4% change in TPS moisture content, the modulus of the TPS/HDPE blend decreased by 9% at a 30% TPS/70% HDPE blend and decreased by 14% at a 70% TPS/30% HDPE blend. Though the moisture of TPS did not have a significant impact on the tensile strength of TPS/HDPE blends, the tensile strength of TPS/PP blend samples were significantly affected: a change from 0.6% to 1.4% moisture increased tensile strength 34% at a 70% TPS/30% PP blend and increased tensile strength by 22% at a 30% TPS/70% PP blend. Thus the results of this study highlight the relationships between moisture, voids, and mechanical performance of TPS and TPS/Polymer blends.