Polyester-Based (Bio)degradable Polymers as Environmentally Friendly Materials for Sustainable Development

Abstract

This review focuses on the polyesters such as polylactide and polyhydroxyalkonoates, as well as polyamides produced from renewable resources, which are currently among the most promising (bio)degradable polymers. Synthetic pathways, favourable properties and utilisation (most important applications) of these attractive polymer families are outlined. Environmental impact and in particular (bio)degradation of aliphatic polyesters, polyamides and related copolymer structures are described in view of the potential applications in various fields.

Advanced Materials From Fungal Mycelium: Fabrication and Tuning of Physical Properties

“…Introducing living biological systems in materials science and nanotechnology in order to accomplish materials from biological resources, developed in controlled ways is a strategy that is attracting significant research efforts567. This is in accordance with the need, which is becoming more and more crucial nowadays, for the development of new green and sustainable materials that will not be a source of pollution to our planet89101112. Indeed, global environmental degradation issues of synthetic plastics1314 in combination with the fossil depletion problems are the main reasons that push the materials-related research towards polymeric materials obtained from renewable resources151617.…”

Waterborne Sustainable Tough Hyperbranched Aliphatic Polyester Thermosets

“…One of the most representative examples of environmentally relevant a polymeric material is the aliphatic polyester, which plays an important role as a biodegradable polymer due to hydrolyzable ester bonds and presence of relatively short aliphatic chains in the macromolecule. 15,16 Again, the hyperbranched architecture of such a polyester is gaining significant attention due to its unique structural features and useful properties like threedimensional architecture, low viscosity, high solubility, high reactivity, large number of surface functionality, etc. along with single step preparative protocol.…”

Identification of Four Polyhydroxyalkanoate Structural Genes in Synechocystis cf. salina PCC6909: In silico Evidences

“…These compounds cover a wide range of possible applications and result in an advantage for the life in the Western countries [1,2]. Among other biomaterials, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) have attractive physical properties such as thermoplasticity, low crystallinity and high UV-stability [3,4]. These characteristics can be tuned for tailor-made applications like elastic coatings for disposable items [5].…”