Influence of the Presence of a Nano-Sized Filler in the Generation of Microplastics from Polypropylene Nanocomposites

The widespread and exponentially increasing use of polymer-based commodities is, nowadays, a basically intrinsic element of contemporary life as well as a substantial environmental concern. Moreover, it has led to significant adverse consequences especially when recovery and recycling are unsatisfactory, conditions favoring the formation of microplastics and nanoplastics with significant consequences on aquatic systems, soil, atmosphere, as well as biota and human health. Although the topic is undergoing massive investigation and research, there is less data about the behavior of multiphase polymer systems, especially as far as nanocomposites are concerned. In this paper, we simulated the two main generation mechanisms of micro- and nanoplastics (photo-oxidation and mechanical fragmentation) of a polypropylene/clay nanocomposite and systematically characterized the amount and size distribution of the obtained microplastics. It was found that the presence of this nanoclay can lead to reduced microplastic generation, due to mitigation of the photo-oxidation processes.