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A material can be classified as biodegradable if it can be broken down into smaller components of naturally-occurring organisms, without a negative effect on the organism. The material must also be nontoxic and to be able to degrade in a relatively short time.
Biodegradable polymers can be divided into three categories:
- Natural polysaccharides, and biopolymers: such as cellulose, alginates (gelling polysaccharide extracted from brown algae), wool, silk, chetin (derived from shellfish waste) and protein from soybean.
- Synthetic polymers, especially aliphatic polyesters such as PLA (poly lactic acid), and PCL (poly ε-caprolactone).
- Polyesters produced by microorganisms: PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate)
In the 1980s the first generation of biodegradable fibers was produced. These were polyolefin modified with starch additives. This assembly would make the fiber more easily degradable into smaller polymer parts. [1]
The next generation of biodegradable polymers was introduced to the market in the 1990s and consisted of starch-based products. One of these polyesters was the so-called PCL polymer (poly ε-caprolactone). Biodegradable fibers produced today are among others the aliphatic polyester Ingeo ® (poly lactic acid, PLA) and biodegradable fibers (PDO) extracted from corn that are compostable. Compared to the production of traditional artificial fiber the consumption rate is 20-50% less fossil fuel and results in a lower contribution of greenhouse air emissions. Another positive environmental aspect of this fiber is that fibers raw materials is growing rapidly, in contrast to the traditionally regenerated cellulose derived from spruce wood. [2]
References
- [1] [Richard S Blackburn, Biodegradeable and sustainable fibres]
- [2] [1]