An investigation on usage of sodium borohydride and zinc oxide as oxygen scavengers in polyethylene terephthalate films

Abstract

The aim of this work is the production and characterisation of a plastic film having active oxygen barrier properties. The films have been obtained by adding an oxygen scavenger (either sodium borohydride (NaBH4) or zinc oxide (ZnO)) into a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) matrix during the extrusion process. In order to investigate the activity of the scavengers used, the produced films have been subjected to permeability measurements. It was revealed that NaBH4 - though a strong reductive agent didn't cause any degradation in matrix polymer but served as an ineffective oxygen scavenger as in the case of ZnO.