This paper deals with research activities concerning the design of polyethylene nets (PE) supported by Sachim S.r.l, Putignano (Italy), a manufacturing company of anti-insect screens and windbreak barriers made from HDPE (high density PE) monofilament. PE were coated with a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-ethylene glycol dimethyl acrylate (EGDMA) hydrogel layer (HG) in the range of 5-15 % w/w by means of a Fenton-type radical based process induced by cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) and Fe(II) salt. 13C CP/MAS solid-state NMR spectroscopy identified the hydrogel. The surface analysis by ATR FT-IR spectra of the final PE@HG versus the PE, PVP and EGDMA reference profiles shows the hydrogel cross-linked PVP coating layer that endows PE@HG of adsorption capability of insecticides like etofenprox, λ-cyhalothrin and deltamethrin and of inorganic compounds like FeSO4, FeCl3, FeO, Fe2O3, CaCl2 and CaCO3. Figure 1 reports some data about the PE@HG adsorption capability towards etofenprox (EFP) and the iron oxides (IO) reduced to iron in blast furnace. “Biorete 3350” (50 mesh) and its PE@HG of two different HG percentage were exhaustively soaked in an EFP water solution and after draining away were plunged under stirring in ethanol for 24 hrs. As the ratio between released EFP and retained EFP can be assumed at equilibrium, the EFP concentration quantified by UV analysis allowed to calculate the minimum EFP amount (mg) loaded on 1g of net, as reported in Table 1. The trend demonstrates the loading effectiveness of PE@HG respect to PE and suggests that a reduced HG layer is enough to capture a good amount of EFP. Preliminary results on “Biorete 3350” (50 mesh) and “Biorete 3325” (25 mesh) functionalised by roll-to-roll coating technology showed that the HG percentage was 1-3% for 5-10 minutes activation time. The four 25 cm2 pieces in Figure 1 put in contact with 15 g of IO powder for 1 hr absorbed small IO amount. The difference between PE and PE@HG is evident and although this experiment is rough and preliminary, it suggests that PE@HG may be developed to capture IO from air near industrial sites like blast furnace.

Innovative polyethylene nets for agricultural and environmental applications

ACS Fall 2021

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