Influence of Vinyl Acetate Content and Melt Flow Index of Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate Copolymer on Physico-Mechanical and Physico-Chemical Properties of Highly Filled Biocomposites

Abstract

Highly filled biocomposites may be used as biodegradable masterbatches that manufacturers add to traditional polymers for making plastic goods more biodegradable. Biocomposites based on various trademarks of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and natural vegetable fillers (wood flour and microcrystalline cellulose) were studied. The EVA trademarks differed both in terms of the melt flow index and in the content of vinyl acetate groups. The composites were created as superconcentrates (or masterbatches) for the production of biodegradable materials based on vegetable fillers with polyolefin matrices. The filler content in biocomposites was 50, 60, 70 wt.%. The influence of the content of vinyl acetate in the copolymer and its melt flow index on the physico-mechanical and rheological properties of highly filled biocomposites was evaluated. As a result, one EVA trademark with high molecular weight that has a high content of VA was chosen because of its optimal parameters for creating highly filled composites with natural fillers.