Bio‐based and biodegradable plastics

https://waste-management-world.com/a/guest-blog-the-difference-between-biobased-biodegradable-plastics The terms bio-based plastics and biodegradable plastics are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Bio-based plastics derive from non-petroleum biological resources. Biodegradable plastics degrade via exposure to naturally occurring microbes and may be bio-based or made from petroleum. https://www.plasticseurope.org/en/about-plastics/what-are-plastics/large-family/bio-based-plastics This review article discussed starch blends, poly-lactic acid, bio-polyethylene terephthalate, bio-polyethylene and polymers from bio-based succinic acid. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioplastic This Wikipedia entry provides a fairly comprehensive overview of bio-based plastics. https://ensia.com/features/bioplastics-bio-based-biodegradable-environment/ This article provides a good overview of the source and production of bioplastics, and it also considers marketability of these materials. https://www.organixsolutions.com/compostable-bioplastics This post describes both bio-based and compostable (biodegradable) polymers. For example, the carbon in bio-based plastics such as poly-lactic acid is typically derived from corn starch. There are examples of petroleum based polymers that are biodegradable. https://www.plasticstoday.com/sustainability/study-asks-why-switch-biobased-plastics-taking-so-long/73993200161277 One highlight of this article is reference to a new market study on bio-based polymers. Fundamentally, bio-based polymers have not seen very widespread use due to cost and lack of manufacturing scale. https://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Type_of_Biodegradable_Plastic This popular press type article gives an excellent description of a range of biodegradable polymers. https://www.cell.com/trends/biotechnology/fulltext/S0167-7799(19)30089-7 This review article describes multiple bio-based polymers and the role of microbial cells and enzymes in the production and recycling of polymers. https://www.labiotech.eu/features/bioplastics-2019-feature/ This article focuses on the total market for plastics, and the increment of bioplastics, both currently and in projected years. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pen.25083 This paper describes a method for extrusion or spray coating of natural and synthetic insect repellents into poly-lactic acid fibres. https://www.energy.gov/eere/amo/plastics-or-fibers-bio-based-polymers This page focuses on the energy and carbon emissions savings that can be attributed to the use of bio-based polymers such as polylactic acid. https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2018/09/19/new-industrial-revolution-plastics This optimistic article discussed the potential for increases in bio-based plastics. It posits that the global bioplastic packaging market is anticipated to grow at a rate of 18% between 2017-2025. https://www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules/special_issues/Biodegradable_Polymers This link is to a special issue of the journal Molecules, focused entirely on different aspects of ‘Advances in Biodegradable Polymers’. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2019.00151/full This article specifically focuses on the use of biodegradable polymers for applications in conservation of cultural heritage materials. https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/epoly.2019.19.issue-1/epoly-2019-0041/epoly-2019-0041.xml Biodegradable polymers have important applications for controlled delivery of drugs, or in sutures where only limited material lifetime is desirable. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.macromol.9b00430 Cyclopropenium-based biodegradable polymers are useful cationic polymers that traditionally have not been viewed as biodegradable. The current report describes the synthesis of biodegradable members of this class. http://www.imedpub.com/scholarly/biodegradable-polymers-journals-articles-ppts-list.php This webpage provides a compendium of recent journal articles related to biodegradable polymers. https://csp.umn.edu The Center for Sustainable Polymers is funded by the United States National Science Foundation and is committed to research, education and public outreach related to the sustainable production and use of polymeric materials.