Agro-polymers poly

Biodegradable polymers can be mainly classified as agro-polymers (starch, protein, etc.) and biodegradable polyesters (polyhydroxyalkanoates, poly(lactic acid), etc.). These latter, also called biopolyesters, can be synthesized from fossil resources but main productions can be obtained from renewable resources (Bordes et al. 2009). However for certain applications, biopolyesters cannot be fully competitive with conventional thermoplastics since some of their properties are too weak. Therefore, to extend their applications, these biopolymers have been formulated and associated with nano-sized fillers, which could bring a large range of improved properties (stiffness, permeability, crystallinity, thermal stability). The resulting nano-biocomposites have been the subject of many recent publications. Bordes etal. (2009) analyzed this novel class of materials based on clays, which are nowadays the main nanoflllers used in nanocomposite systems. 

Biomass products from agro-resources (agro-polymers) These bioplastics are either synthesized naturally from plants and animals, or entirely synthesized from renewable resources. This class includes starch, cellulose, proteins, lignin, chitosan, poly lactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxy-alkanoates/polyhydroxybutyrates. A recent breakthrough in this class of bioplastics is the development of technology to synthesize polymers like polyethylene, polypropylene and nylon from biological resources ... 

Polymeric blends and nanocomposites are an effective method for producing materials with new or improved properties. However, these enhanced characteristics often depend not only on the type of filler selected, but also on the dispersion achieved. Unfortimately, conventional processes often fail to achieve high levels of dispersion without strenuous processing, solvent, or material modification. In addition, concerns over environmental impact such as use of renewable versns non-renewable resources and the cost of synthrtic polymers have recently motivated significant research in snpport of snstainable polymo- systems in which one or more component is biodegradable and bio-based. These materials inclnde agro-polymers, snch as starch, and biode adable polyesters, snch as poly(caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA). 

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