Cellulose, biodegradation

The early 1990s have also seen much interest in biodegradable cellulose acetate compounds. 

As a result of development work between the Battelle Institute in Frankfurt and a German candle-making company, Aetema, biodegradable cellulose acetate compounds have been available since 1991 from the Rhone-Poulenc subsidiary Tubize Plastics. They are marketed under the trade names Bioceta and Biocellat. The system is centred round the use of an additive which acts both as a plasticiser and a biodegrading agent, causing the cellulose ester to decompose within 6-24 months. 

In 1991 Rhone-Poulenc offered biodegradable cellulose acetate compounds in which an additive acts both as plasticiser and biodegrading agent (see Section 22.2.2.1). 

Teramoto Y., Nishio Y. Structural designing and functionalization of biodegradable cellulosic graft copolymers. Cellulose Communications 77 115-120 (2004). 

In 2004, RPC Bebo Nederland launched a range of biodegradable containers manufactured in NatureWork s PLA material. RPC says that PLA offers excellent clarity and has an equivalent oxygen barrier to polypropylene. For sealed packs, RPC Bebo Nederland can also supply a heat-sealable, compostable lidding film, which is manufactured from biodegradable cellulose derived from wood pulp. 

Sannino, A. Demitri, C. Madaghiele, M. Biodegradable cellulose-based hydrogels Design and applications. Materials 2009, 2 (2), 353-373. 

Sannino A, Demitri C, Madaghiele M (2009) Biodegradable cellulose-based hydrogels design and applications. Materials 2 353-373... 

Wach RA, Mitomo H, Yoshii F, Kume T (2001) Hydrogel of biodegradable cellulose derivatives. ii. Effect of some factors on radiation-induced crosslinking of CMC. J Appl Polym Sci 81 3030-3037... 

Modified cellulose of commercial significance involves primarily the cellulose esters and ethers. The cellulose esters include cellulose acetate, cellulose propionate, cellulose acetate-butyrate, cellulose nitrate. Cellulose ethers include ethyl cellulose as a melt, processable-grade and water-soluble derivatives. Historically, it was accepted that cellulose derivatives that had a degree of substitution above 1.0 were not biodegradable [18-20]. However, cellulose acetate has been found to be biodegradable in both aerobic compost and anaerobic bioreactor environments [21-23]. The potential for additional, biodegradable, cellulose derivatives is currently being explored. 

Although effective at improving the barrier properties, layered silicates are not biodegradable. Cellulose can be a biodegradable alternative to the use of sihcates. There are two types of nanoreinforcements that can be obtained firom cellulose fibers microfibrils (cellulose chains synthesized by plants or animals) and nanowhiskers (isolated crystalline... 

Kuarma S, Peter Aet al (2013) An expeditious synthesis of quinoxalines by using biodegradable cellulose sulfuric acid as a solid acid catalyst. Green Chem Lett Rev 6 228 32... 

Park H-M, Li X, Jin C-Z, Park C-Y, Cho W-J, Ha C-S (2002) Preparation and jnopetties of biodegradable thermoplastic starch/clay hybrids. Macromol Mater Eng 287(8) 553-558 Park H-M, Liang X, Mohanty AK, Misra M, Drzal LT (2004a) Effect of compatibilizer on nanostructure of the biodegradable cellulose acetate/organoclay nanocomposites. Macromolecules 37(24) 9076-9082... 

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