Biodegradable polymers and their layered silicate nanocomposites: In greening the 21st century materials world

Polycaprolactone (PCL) is an important polymer due to its mechanical properties, miscibility with a large range of other polymers and biodegradability. Two main pathways to produce polycaprolactone have been described in the literature: the polycondensation of a hydroxycarboxylic acid: 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid, and the ring-opening polymerisation (ROP) of a lactone: e-caprolactone (e-CL). This critical review summarises the different conditions which have been described to synthesise PCL, and gives a broad overview of the different catalytic systems that were used (enzymatic, organic and metal catalyst systems). A surprising variety of catalytic systems have been studied, touching on virtually every section of the periodic table. A detailed list of reaction conditions and catalysts/initiators is given and reaction mechanisms are presented where known. Emphasis is put on the ROP pathway due to its prevalence in the literature and the superior polymer that is obtained. In addition, ineffective systems that have been tried to catalyse the production of PCL are included in the electronic supplementary information for completeness (141 references).

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Synthesis of polycaprolactone: a review

Research and development of bio-nanocomposite materials for food applications such as packaging and other food contact surfaces is expected to grow in the next decade with the advent of new polymeric materials and composites with inorganic nano-particles. This article reviews different types of new bio-based materials, such as edible and biodegradable nanocomposite films, their commercial applications as packaging materials, regulations and future trends. Special emphasis is given to the advantages of nanotechnology application in order to improve the mechanical and oxidation stability, the barrier properties, and eventually the biodegradability of conventional polymeric matrices.

Potential perspectives of bio-nanocomposites for food packaging applications

Biodegradation of poly(vinyl alcohol) based materials

Recent trends in biodegradable polymers indicate significant developments in terms of novel design strategies and engineering to provide advanced polymers with comparably good performance. However, there are several inadequacies in terms of either technology or cost of production especially in the case of applications in environmental pollution. So, there is a need to have a fresh perspective on the design, properties and functions of these polymers with a view to developing strategies for future developments. The paper reviews the present state-of-art on biodegradable polymers and discusses the salient features of the design and properties of biodegradable polymers. Special emphasis is given to the problems and prospects of (1) approaches adopted to make non-biodegradable synthetic polymers such as polyethylene biodegradable and (2) biodegradable polymers and copolymers made from renewable resources especially poly(lactic acid) based polymers and copolymers which are emerging as the candidate biodegradable materials for the future.

Biodegradable Polymers- A Review on Recent Trends and Emerging Perspectives

Blends of polycaprolactone with polyvinylalcohol: a DSC, optical microscopy and solid state NMR study

Biodegradation of polycaprolactone and its blends with poly(vinylalcohol) by micro-organisms from a compost of house-hold refuse

Intermolecular interactions in blends of poly(vinyl alcohol) with poly(acrylic acid)-1. FTIR and DSC studies

After a general introduction including definition of biodegradability, the recent literature is briefly summarized The results obtained in our laboratory for various polymers in three different composting units are then presented They demonstrate that there is an urgent need for a quantitative method to characterize polymer biodegradation For that purpose, a manometric method which allows the measurement of the oxygen consumed by the growing microorganisms has been developed

C. De Kesel

Papers

Blends of polycaprolactone with polyvinylalcohol: a DSC, optical microscopy and solid state NMR study

Biodegradation of polycaprolactone and its blends with poly(vinylalcohol) by micro-organisms from a compost of house-hold refuse

Intermolecular interactions in blends of poly(vinyl alcohol) with poly(acrylic acid)-1. FTIR and DSC studies

The biodegradation of polymers: Recent results