Paper
Developing Flat Drip Irrigation Pipes Using Bioplastic Materials
- Authors:
- Bülent Eker; Murat Alkan; Ay?egül Akdo?an Eker
- Abstract
- This study analyzed the use of environmentally friendly, cornstarch based bioplastic raw materials instead of polyethylene based raw material to produce flat drip irrigation pipes, which is the most efficient agricultural irrigation system. Two groups of raw materials were used in the study, low density polyethylene (LDPE) material and cornstarch based biodegradable- poly beta hydroxybutyrate (PHB) raw material. Mixtures are obtained by adding 4 types of PHB raw materials at the ratio of 25%, 30%, 35% and 40% and 5% black masterbatch separately in the form of granules. Test samples were prepared from these mixtures using extrusion film production method. Mechanical tests, shrinking tests and thermal analysis were performed on test samples. Of the raw materials with bioplastic mixture, only the sample obtained from 65% LDPE + 30% PHB + 5% black masterbatch was consistent with the values of commercially available flat drip irrigation pipes with 0.14 mm wall thickness, 443.54 % strain at break, 0.967 g/cm3 density and 123.36 °C melting point. Moreover, raw materials with bioplast additives obtained from the study are suitable for the use as an alternative material in the polyethylene applications used in the fields of agricultural and industry.
- Keywords
- Flat Drip Irrigation Pipe; Bioplastic; Polyethylene; Extrusion
- StartPage
- 62
- EndPage
- 74
- Doi
- 10.5963/AMSA0302003