An investigation of the environmental implications of bioplastics: Recent advancements on the development of environmentally friendly bioplastics solutions

The production and utilization of plastics may prove beneficial, but the environmental impact suggests the opposite. The single-use plastics (SUP) and conventional plastics are harmful to the environment and need prompt disposal. Bioplastics are increasingly being considered as a viable alternative to conventional plastics due to their potential to alleviate environmental concerns such as greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. However, the previous reviews revealed a lack of consistency in the methodologies used in the Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), making it difficult to compare the results across studies. The current study provides a systematic review of LCAs that assess the environmental impact of bioplastics. The different mechanical characteristics of bio plastics, like tensile strength, Young's modulus, flexural modulus, and elongation at break are reviewed which suggest that bio plastics are comparatively much better than synthetic plastics. Bioplastics have more efficient mechanical properties compared to synthetic plastics which signifies that bioplastics are more sustainable and reliable than synthetic plastics. The key challenges in bioplastic adoption and production include competition with food production for feedstock, high production costs, uncertainty in end-of-life management, limited biodegradability, lack of standardization, and technical performance limitations. Addressing these challenges requires collaboration among stakeholders to drive innovation, reduce costs, improve end-of-life management, and promote awareness and education. Overall, the study suggests that while bioplastics have the potential to reduce environmental impact, further research is needed to better understand their life cycle and optimize their end-of-life (EoL) management and production to maximize their environmental benefits.

Polymeric Nanotechnologies for the Treatment of Periodontitis: A Chronological Review

Periodontitis is a chronic infectious and inflammatory disease of periodontal tissues estimated to affect 70 - 80 % of all adults. At the same time, periodontium, the site of periodontal pathologies, is an extraordinarily complex plexus of soft and hard tissues, the regeneration of which using even the most advanced forms of tissue engineering continues to be a challenge. Nanotechnologies, meanwhile, have provided exquisite tools for producing biomaterials and pharmaceutical formulations capable of elevating the efficacies of standard pharmacotherapies and surgical approaches to whole new levels. A bibliographic analysis provided here demonstrates a continuously increasing research output of studies on the use of nanotechnologies in the management of periodontal disease, even when they are normalized to the total output of studies on periodontitis. The great majority of biomaterials used to tackle periodontitis, including those that pioneered this interesting field, have been polymeric. In this article, a chronological review of polymeric nanotechnologies for the treatment of periodontitis is provided, focusing on the major conceptual innovations since the late 1990s, when the first nanostructures for the treatment of periodontal diseases were fabricated. In the opening sections, the etiology and pathogenesis of periodontitis and the anatomical and histological characteristics of the periodontium are being described, along with the general clinical manifestations of the disease and the standard means of its therapy. The most prospective chemistries in the design of polymers for these applications are also elaborated. It is concluded that the amount of innovation in this field is on the rise, despite the fact that most studies are focused on the refinement of already established paradigms in tissue engineering rather than on the development of revolutionary new concepts.

Knowledge Gaps in Polymer Biodegradation Research

The environmental fate of polymers has attracted growing attention in the academic, industrial, and regulatory communities as well as in the general public as global production and use of polymers continue to increase. Biodegradable polymers especially have drawn significant interest. Polymer biodegradation literature published over the past decade was reviewed to compare test methods commonly used for evaluating polymer biodegradation, and to identify key areas for improvement. This paper examines key aspects of study design for polymer biodegradation such as physical form of the test material, use of appropriate reference materials, selection of test systems, and advantages and limitations of various analytical methods for determining biodegradation. Those aspects of study design are critical for determining the outcome of polymer biodegradation studies. This paper identifies several knowledge gaps for assessing polymer biodegradation and provides four key recommendations. (1) develop standardized guidelines for each specific environmental matrix (compost, activated sludge, marine environments, etc.) that can used for all polymer types, (2) develop accelerated biodegradation test methods and predictive methods for polymers, (3) develop an integrated analytical approach using multiple simple, and effective analytical methods, and (4) develop new frameworks for assessing the overall persistence of polymers and are accepted by the greater scientific community.

Combined use of Bacillus strains and Miscanthus for accelerating biodegradation of poly(lactic acid) and poly(ethylene terephthalate)

Background

The aim of this study was to verify whether the presence of Bacillus strains and of miscanthus influence biodegradation and formed of biofilm of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET).

Methods

The experiment conducted in compost soil showed that strains Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus isolated from heavy metal contaminated environment have biochemical activity and accelerate biodegradation of both plastic materials.

Results

For PLA film it was found that the carbonyl index dropped by over 15% in the presence of B. subtilis, while the film tensile strength decreased by 35% and the oxygen to carbon O/C ratio was higher by 3% in the presence of B. cereus, and the presence of miscanthus resulted in a loss of weight. For PET film, a decrease in the carbonyl index by 16% was observed following inoculation with B. cereus. The metabolic activity of this strain contributed to the reduction of the film’s tensile strength by 17% and to the increase in the permeability to O₂ and CO₂. The most intense degradation of PET film was observed in the presence of bacteria and plants. B. subtilis strain combined with miscanthus plantings may be a promising method for accelerating PLA and PET degradation in compost soil.

Pore geometry influences growth and cell adhesion of infrapatellar mesenchymal stem cells in biofabricated 3D thermoplastic scaffolds useful for cartilage tissue engineering

The most pressing need in cartilage tissue engineering (CTE) is the creation of a biomaterial capable to tailor the complex extracellular matrix of the tissue. Despite the standardized used of polycaprolactone (PCL) for osteochondral scaffolds, the pronounced stiffness mismatch between PCL scaffold and the tissue it replaces remarks the biomechanical incompatibility as main limitation. To overcome it, the present work was focused in the design and analysis of several geometries and pore sizes and how they affect cell adhesion and proliferation of infrapatellar fat pad-derived mesenchymal stem cells (IPFP-MSCs) loaded in biofabricated 3D thermoplastic scaffolds. A novel biomaterial for CTE, the 1,4-butanediol thermoplastic polyurethane (b-TPUe) together PCL were studied to compare their mechanical properties. Three different geometrical patterns were included: hexagonal (H), square (S), and, triangular (T); each one was printed with three different pore sizes (PS): 1, 1.5 and 2 mm. Results showed differences in cell adhesion, cell proliferation and mechanical properties depending on the geometry, porosity and type of biomaterial used. Finally, the microstructure of the two optimal geometries (T1.5 and T2) was deeply analyzed using multiaxial mechanical tests, with and without perimeters, μCT for microstructure analysis, DNA quantification and degradation assays. In conclusion, our results evidenced that IPFP-MSCs-loaded b-TPUe scaffolds had higher similarity with cartilage mechanics and T1.5 was the best adapted morphology for CTE.

Preparation of poly(L-lactide)/poly(ethylene glycol)/organo-modified montmorillonite nanocomposites via melt intercalation under continuous elongation flow

An innovative eccentric rotor extruder (ERE), which can generate continuous elongation flow, was used to prepare the poly(L-lactide) (PLLA)/poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)/organo-modified montmorillonite (OMMT) nanocomposites. The morphology was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and showed that the OMMT nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed in the matrix and mainly existed in intercalation mode. The influence of OMMT on the rheological behavior of plasticized PLLA was investigated by dynamic rheological measurements, showing greater improvement of rheological properties compared to that of PLLA/PEG blend. The crystallization behavior and crystalline structures were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and XRD, respectively, and showed that the presence of OMMT further speeds up the crystallization rate of plasticized PLLA. However, the crystallization rate and crystallinity had a slight downward trend at high OMMT content because of the inhibition effect of the OMMT percolation network structure. Polarizing optical microscopy (POM) was further carried out and proved that the OMMT nanoparticles as a heterogeneous nucleating agent can increase the spherulite growth rate and nucleation density. The thermal stability was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis and indicated that the addition of OMMT at low concentration can improve the thermal stability of plasticized PLLA more effectively.

Emerging trends in flame retardancy of biofibers, biopolymers, biocomposites, and bionanocomposites

Recent advancements in natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites have engineered the need to procure alternatives to replace metals in automotives, construction, aerospace, defense, electronics, and gas and oil industries. However, application versatility of biomaterials has been limited due to poor flame retardancy. In line with the new CO

Poly(lactic acid)/polypropylene and compatibilized poly(lactic acid)/polypropylene blends prepared by a vane extruder: analysis of the mechanical properties, morphology and thermal behavior

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/polypropylene (PP) blends with different weight fractions were prepared by a novel vane extruder. The mechanical properties, morphology, crystallization behavior and thermal stability of the blends were investigated. The tensile strength, flexural strength and elongation at break decreased nonlinearly when the PP content was not more than 50 wt% and then increased with an increase in the PP content. The flexural modulus decreased with increasing PP weight fraction. The PLA/PP 90:10 blend exhibited the optimum impact strength. Scanning electron microscopy measurements revealed that the PLA/PP blends were immiscible. Phase separation occurred significantly at a blend ratio of 50:50. Regarding the PLA/PP 90:10 blend, the mean diameter of the disperse-phase PP particles was the smallest at 1.11 μm. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements showed that low content of PP enhanced the crystallization of PLA. The PLA component in the blends impeded the crystallization of PP when PP was used as the matrix. The thermogravimetric analysis measurement involved a two-step decomposition process of the blends. The thermal resistance of the blends was improved by compounding with PP. As compatibilizers, both the maleic anhydride-grafted PP and the ethylene/n-butyl acrylate/glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer helped improve the mechanical properties, crystallization property and thermal resistance of the PLA/PP blends.

Mechanical characterization and modelling of the temperature-dependent impact behaviour of a biocompatible poly(L-lactide)/poly(ε-caprolactone) polymer blend

Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is a ductile, bioabsorbable polymer that has been employed as a blend partner for poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA). An improvement of the material strength and impact resistance of PLLA/PCL polymer blends compared to pure PLLA has been shown previously. To use numerical simulations in the design process of new components composed of the PLLA/PCL blend, a constitutive model for the material has to be established. In this work, a constitutive model for a PLLA/PCL polymer blend is established from the results of compressive tests at high and low strain rates at three different temperatures, including the body temperature. Finite element simulations of the split Hopkinson pressure bar test using the established constitutive model are carried out under the same condition as the experiments. During the experiments, the changes in the diameter and thickness of the specimens are captured by a high-speed video camera. The accuracy of the numerical model is tested by comparing the simulation results, such as the stress, strain, thickness and diameter histories of the specimens, with those measured in the experiments. The numerical model is also validated against an impact test of non-homogenous strains and strain rates. The results of this study provide a validated numerical model for a PLLA/PCL polymer blend at strain rates of up to 1800 s(-1) in the temperature range between 22°C and 50°C.