Degradable materials polymers from renewable

In view of the necessity for getting waste disposal under control coupled with the limited fossil raw material resources, biodegradable polymer and in particular polymers from renewable resources will gain importance in the future. In the most sensitive application area, food contact materials and articles, it is possible initially to use these materials in very limited amounts. The easy decomposition of these packaging materials is in opposition with the inertness needed to protect packaged food. These polymers are particularly sensitive to moisture. By finishing operations such as surface treatments, one could improve the inertness of these polymers. However, the degradability would be diminished by such processes. 

Ziegahm KF (1994) Degradation of packaging and packaging materials - Requirements and recent legislation in Europe. Symposium on Polymers from Renewable Resources and their degradation. Stockholm, November 1994, p 18... 

Huang J, Ichinose I, Kunitake T (2005b) Nanocoating of natural cellulose fibers with conjugated polymer hierarchical polypyrrole composite materials. Chem Commun 13 1717-1719 Kaplan DL (1998) Introduction to biopolymers and renewable resources. In Kaplan DL (ed) Biopolymers from renewable resources. Springer, Berlin Kumar AP, Depan D, Tomer NS et al (2009) Nanoscale particles for polymer degradation and stabilization-trends and future perspectives. Prog Polym Sci 34 479-515 Lindblad MS, Liu Y, Albertsson A-C et al (2002) Polymers from renewable resources. Adv Polym Sci 157 139-161... 

It is sometimes assumed in that polymers from renewable resources are by definition environmentally friendly , or in modern parlance, sustainable . One definition of sustainable suggests that the development of new products for the benefit of society should not have an unacceptable effect on resource depletion and environmental pollution. However, unacceptable is a relative term and invites comparison of one material with another by life-cycle assessment (LCA). Companies engaged in the development of degradable polymers from renewable resources have initiated life-cycle assessment comparisons of their products with the commodity synthetic polymers, notably polyethylene. It has not so far been shown unambiguously that bio-based polymers are more environmentally sustainable than the present range of commodity polymers . This results from the same reason that led to concern in the 1980s namely lack of consistency and uniformity of the assumptions made. In some cases they actually contradict one another. 

Biodegradable polymers are macromolecules mainly derived from renewable sources, which can be enzymatically or hydrolytically degraded into low molecular parts. These parts can be reabsorbed by microorganisms, which ideally convert them to CO2 and water heading to an environmentally closed circular flow economy between growing of nutrients, production, utilization, and material recycling (Fig. 1). 

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