Diffusion of limonene in polyethylene

Abstract

Diffusion coefficients of limonene in various linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) resins have been determined from sorption data using a thermogravimetric methodology. From these data, one can determine whether polymer synthesis parameters such as the choice of catalytic process or co-monomer result in substantial differences in how much food packaging additives might migrate to food. For example, LLDPE is currently manufactured using either one of two distinct catalytic processes: Ziegler–Natta (ZN) and metallocene, a single-site catalyst. ZN catalysis is a heterogeneous process that has dominated polyolefin synthesis over the last half-century. It involves a transition metal compound containing a metal-carbon bond that can handle repeated insertion of olefin units. In contrast, metallocene catalysis has fewer than 20 years of history, but has generated much interest due to its ability to produce highly stereospecific polymers at a very high yield. In addition to high stereospecificity, metallocene-catalysed polymers are significantly lower in polydispersity than traditional ZN counterparts. Absorption and desorption testing of heat-pressed films made from LLDPE and LDPE resins of varying processing parameters indicates that diffusion coefficients of limonene in these resins do not change substantially.