biodegradability

Petroleum-based plastics are durable, flexible, cheap, and widely available, thus remain increasingly in demand by the growing global population. However, being non-biodegradable, conventional plastics (especially single-use products and materials) end-life scenarios pose continuous threats to the environment, including animal and human health. An estimated 20 million metric tons of disposable plastic litter are introduced into the environment annually.

The impact of modifiers of different origins on the biodegradability of polylactide-based materials was investigated. It was found that incorporating starch and epoxidized soybean oil into the polylactide matrix accelerates the biodegradation of the polymer composite. The effect of starch and epoxidized soybean oil on intermolecular interactions within the system was examined.

Research on the manufacturing of experimental biodegradable films (EBF) was carried out in the laboratory. Recipes containing 8, 10, and 15% of corn and potato starch were analyzed. It was found that the EBF based on potato starch with a 10% concentration is more plastic and retains its shape well compared to other samples.