A Review - Biodegradable Polymers and their Applications

Polymers have an endless scope in the recent era due to their flexibility, amendment, and insertion of organic and inorganic active components into the polymer backbone. There is strong competition between natural and synthetic biodegradable polymers in the sense of biodegradability and compatibility with modern technology. Biodegradable polymers play a significant role in sustaining mankind on the earth due to non-environment hazards. These polymers play a crucial role in the area of biomedicine technology such as tissues engineering, preparation of different scaffolds, drug delivery systems, industrial, agriculture, and food packaging. Here, we probed on an assortment of types of applications, challenges, and limitations of biodegradable polymers in life.

Advances in bio-nanocomposite materials for food packaging: a review

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to acquaint the readers with recent developments in biopolymer-based food packaging materials like natural biopolymers (such as starches and proteins), synthetic biopolymers (such as poly lactic acid), biopolymer blending and nanocomposites grounded on natural and synthetic biopolymers. This paper is an attempt to draw the readers towards the advantages and attributes of new era polymers to diminish the usage of traditional non-biodegradable polymers.

Design/methodology/approach

Plastic packaging for food and associated applications is non-biodegradable and uses up valuable and treasured non-renewable petroleum products. With the current focus on researching alternatives to petroleum, research is progressively being channelized towards the development of biodegradable food packaging, thereby reducing adverse impact on the environment.

Findings

Natural biopolymer-based nanocomposite packaging materials seem to have a scintillating future for a broad range of applications in the food industry, including advanced active food packaging with biofunctional attributes. The present review summarizes the scientific information of various packaging materials along with their attributes, applications and the methods for production.

Originality/value

This is an apropos review as there has been a recent renewed concern in research studies, both in the industry and academe, for development of new generation biopolymer-based food packaging materials, with possible applications in many areas.