Recent progress in biodegradable polymers and nanocomposite-based packaging materials for sustainable environment

Abstract

Plastics based materials are frequently used in packaging and can be seen universally in both the developed and developing societies. At present, most of the currently used food packaging materials are non-degradable and are creating serious environmental problems. New technologies are being explored and developed to study the complex interaction between the food packaging materials and food. For example, nanocomposite of cellulose constitute environmentally friendly packaging, which is easily recycled by combustion and requires low power consumption in production. There are several such biodegradable materials which are available at a low price, have good mechanical properties and allow disposal in the soil. This is advantageous because biological degradation produces only carbon dioxide, water, and inorganic compounds to name a few. It has also been discovered that biodegradable plastics made of such materials can be disposed of together with organic waste. The widespread use of biopolymers in place of standard plastics would help to reduce the weight of waste. Therefore, biodegradable materials take part in the natural cycle "from nature to nature" and play an important role for environmental sustainability. So in this article, we briefly summarizes the different characteristic of biodegradable polymers being used in food packaging applications.

How Do Bioplastics and Fossil‐Based Plastics Play in a Circular Economy?

“…Technology and market developments of biodegradable plastics have continued after the completion of social implementation projects using biodegradable plastics such as the ones shown in Section . Such initiatives include changes in raw materials and production process development to further reduce the environmental burden as well as a biodegradability study from the viewpoint of sustainability. Additionally, business activities to demonstrate a “closed loop” system have been implemented in a fast food restaurant chain in which all cups, forks, knives, and packaging are compostable.…”

A Promising Energetic Polymer from Posidonia oceanica Brown Algae: Synthesis, Characterization, and Kinetic Modeling

“…According to the literature, the use of cellulose as polymer precursor to produce energetic materials instead of other thermoplastic elastomer is due to its potential benefits like the easy and cheap availability, non‐toxicity, biodegradability, renewability as well as the great oxygen amount . Furthermore, it is well known that cotton and wood are the most commonly used raw materials to obtain cellulose precursor .…”

Effect of different compatibilizers on environmentally friendly composites from poly(lactic acid) and diatomaceous earth

“…Montmorillonite and halloysite nanotube (HNT) particles have been loaded with different active compounds and successfully added to films of linear low density polyethylene. These nanofillers showed good dispersion in the polymeric matrix and contributed to improving the barrier properties of the material, thus allowing the shelf‐life of packaged fresh food to be extended . HNTs, at 1–7 wt%, have also been successfully incorporated into polyethylene terephthalate as nanocontainers of antimicrobial agents for active packaging .…”