Overview of biodegradable polymers: synthesis, modification and application

Authors

  • M. Samy National Research Centre
  • L. Bekbayeva Al-Faraby Kazakh National University
  • A.M. Mohammed University of Baghdad
  • G. Irmukhametova Al-Faraby Kazakh National University
  • D. Zhetpisbay KazNMU named S.D.Asfendiyarov
  • N.M. Majeed University of Baghdad
  • B.B. Yermukhambetova National Engineering Academy of the Republic of Kazakhstan
  • G.A. Mun Al-Faraby Kazakh National University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31643/2025/6445.02

Keywords:

Biodegradable polymers, starch, biodegradable plastics, biodegradable foams.

Abstract

Biodegradable polymeric represents a growing field. Owing to their wide-ranging properties, both synthetic and natural polymeric materials perform a vital and ubiquitous role in everyday life. Amended natural polymeric materials such as starch, cellulose, lignin, chitosan, cottonseed shell (CTS), and cotton gin trash (CGT) have enhanced properties, while synthetic Biodegradable polymeric materials such as poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), biodegradable plastics, biodegradable foams. Bioplastics are a kind of polymers able to be degraded by different microorganisms to small molecules (e.g., H2O, CO2, and CH4). Bioplastics are observed to solve waste materials and biodegradability is just a new material to be exploited at the end of its life in specific terms. They should be used for applications that require cheap methods to dispose of items after it has fulfilled their job (e.g., for food packaging, agriculture, or medical products).

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

M. Samy, National Research Centre

Polymers and Pigments Department, National Research Centre, 33 El Buhouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt.

L. Bekbayeva, Al-Faraby Kazakh National University

National Nanotechnology Open Laboratory, Al-Faraby Kazakh National University, al-Farabi av., 050040, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan.

A.M. Mohammed, University of Baghdad

Department of Chemistry, College of education for bure science (Ibn_ Alhaitham), University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.

G. Irmukhametova, Al-Faraby Kazakh National University

Department of Chemistry & Technology of Organic Materials, Polymers and Natural Compounds, Al-Faraby Kazakh National University, al-Farabi av., 050040, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan.

D. Zhetpisbay , KazNMU named S.D.Asfendiyarov

Department of Biochemistry, School of General Medicine-1, KazNMU named S.D.Asfendiyarov, 480012, Tole bi, 88,  Almaty, Kazakhstan.

N.M. Majeed, University of Baghdad

Department of Chemistry, College of education for bure science (Ibn_ Alhaitham), University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq. 

B.B. Yermukhambetova, National Engineering Academy of the Republic of Kazakhstan

National Engineering Academy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan.

G.A. Mun, Al-Faraby Kazakh National University

Department of Chemistry & Technology of Organic Materials, Polymers and Natural Compounds, Al-Faraby Kazakh National University, al-Farabi av., 050040, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan.

References

Alhanish A, Ali GAM. Biodegradable Polymers. In: Ali GAM, Makhlouf ASH, editors. Handbook of Biodegradable Materials. Cham: Springer International Publishing. 2023, 263-291.

Mukherjee C, Varghese D, Krishna J, Boominathan T, Rakeshkumar R, Dineshkumar S, et al. Recent Advances in Biodegradable Polymers–Properties, Applications and Future Prospects. European Polymer Journal 2023:112068.

Filiciotto L, Rothenberg G. Biodegradable plastics: Standards, policies, and impacts. ChemSusChem 2021; 14:56-72.

Abd El-Ghany NA, Elella MHA, Abdallah HM, Mostafa MS, Samy M. Recent Advances in Various Starch Formulation for Wastewater Purification via Adsorption Technique: A Review. Journal of Polymers and the Environment. 2023:1-34.

Azahari NA, Othman N, Ismail H. Effect of attapulgite clay on biodegradability and tensile properties of polyvinyl alcohol/corn starch blend film. International Journal of Polymeric Materials. 2012; 61:1065-1078.

Abbasi Z. Water resistance, weight loss and enzymatic degradation of blends starch/polyvinyl alcohol containing SiO2 nanoparticle. Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. 2012; 43:264-268.

Domene-López D, Guillén M, Martin-Gullon I, García-Quesada JC, Montalbán MG. Study of the behavior of biodegradable starch/polyvinyl alcohol/rosin blends. Carbohydrate polymers. 2018; 202:299-305.

Iskalieva A, Yesmurat M, Al Azzam KM, Ainakulova D, Yerbolat Y, Negim E-S, et al. Effect of Polyethylene Glycol Methyl Ether Methacrylate on the Biodegradability of Polyvinyl Alcohol/Starch Blend Films. Polymers. 2023; 15:3165.

Ferreira F, Dufresne A, Pinheiro I, Souza D, Gouveia R, Mei L, et al. How do cellulose nanocrystals affect the overall properties of biodegradable polymer nanocomposites: A comprehensive review. European polymer journal. 2018; 108:274-285.

Ong T, Tshai K, Choo H, Khiew P, Chung S. Mechanical performance and biodegradability of polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite films. Materialwissenschaft und Werkstofftechnikю 2020; 51:740-749.

Haque ANMA, Naebe M. Flexible water-resistant semi-transparent cotton gin trash/poly (vinyl alcohol) bio-plastic for packaging application: Effect of plasticisers on physicochemical properties. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2021; 303:126983.

Kim S, Chung H. Fully biomass-based biodegradable polymers from lignin and raw castor oil: lignin-graft-castor oil. Polymer Chemistry. 2023; 14:4126-4137.

Su W, Yang Z, Wang H, Fang J, Li C, Lyu G, et al. Synergistic Effect of Sodium Alginate and Lignin on the Properties of Biodegradable Poly (vinyl alcohol) Mulch Films. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. 2022; 10:11800-11814.

Verma C, Quraishi M. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a biodegradable polymeric anticorrosive material: A review on present advancements and future directions. Corrosion Engineering, Science and Technology. 2022; 57:796-812.

Belay M. Review on Physicochemical Modification of Biodegradable Plastic: Focus on Agar and Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA). Advances in Materials Science and Engineering 2023; 2023:4056020.

Ooi ZX, Ismail H, Bakar AA, Aziz NAA. The comparison effect of sorbitol and glycerol as plasticizing agents on the properties of biodegradable polyvinyl alcohol/rambutan skin waste flour blends. Polymer-Plastics Technology and Engineering. 2012; 51:432-437.

Li L, Xu X, Wang B, Song P, Cao Q, Yang Y, et al. Structure, chain dynamics and mechanical properties of poly (vinyl alcohol)/phytic acid composites. Composites Communications. 2021; 28:100970.

Panda PK, Sadeghi K, Seo J. Recent advances in poly (vinyl alcohol)/natural polymer based films for food packaging applications: A review. Food Packaging and Shelf Life. 2022; 33:100904.

Dorigato A, Pegoretti A. Biodegradable single-polymer composites from polyvinyl alcohol. Colloid and Polymer science. 2012; 290:359-370.

Rahman L, Goswami J. Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) as Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Packaging: A Review. Journal of Packaging Technology and Research. 2023; 7:1-10.

Hendrawati N, Sa’diyah K, Novika E, Wibowo AA. The effect of polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) addition on biodegradable foam production from sago starch. AIP Conference Proceedings: AIP Publishing. 2020.

Qiu K, Netravali AN. Fabrication and characterization of biodegradable composites based on microfibrillated cellulose and polyvinyl alcohol. Composites Science and Technology. 2012; 72:1588-1594.

Yahia R, Owda ME, Abou-Zeid RE, Abdelhai F, El-Gamil HY, Abdo AM, et al. Biodegradable, UV absorber and thermal stable bioplastic films from waxy corn starch/polyvinyl alcohol blends. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery. 2023, 1-18.

Liu F, Zhang Y, Xiao X, Cao Y, Jiao W, Bai H, et al. Effects of polyvinyl alcohol content and hydrolysis degree on the structure and properties of extruded starch-based foams. Chemical Engineering Journal. 2023; 472:144959.

Byrne D, Boeije G, Croft I, Hüttmann G, Luijkx G, Meier F, et al. Biodegradability of Polyvinyl Alcohol Based Film Used for Liquid Detergent Capsules: Biologische Abbaubarkeit der für Flüssigwaschmittelkapseln verwendeten Folie auf Polyvinylalkoholbasis. Tenside Surfactants Detergents. 2021; 58:88-96.

Su C, Zhang X, Ge X, Shen H, Zhang Q, Lu Y, et al. Structural, physical and degradation characteristics of polyvinyl alcohol/esterified mung bean starch/gliadin ternary composite plastic. Industrial Crops and Products. 2022; 176:114365.

Tian G, Li L, Li Y, Wang Q. Water-Soluble Poly (vinyl alcohol)/Biomass Waste Composites: A New Route toward Ecofriendly Materials. ACS omega. 2022; 7:42515-42523.

Gómez-Aldapa CA, Velazquez G, Gutierrez MC, Rangel-Vargas E, Castro-Rosas J, Aguirre-Loredo RY. Effect of polyvinyl alcohol on the physicochemical properties of biodegradable starch films. Materials Chemistry and Physics. 2020; 239:122027.

Tang X, Alavi S. Recent advances in starch, polyvinyl alcohol based polymer blends, nanocomposites and their biodegradability. Carbohydrate polymers. 2011; 85:7-16.

Ismail H, Zaaba N. Effect of additives on properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/tapioca starch biodegradable films. Polymer-Plastics Technology and Engineering. 2011; 50:1214-1219.

Patil S, Bharimalla AK, Mahapatra A, Dhakane-Lad J, Arputharaj A, Kumar M, et al. Effect of polymer blending on mechanical and barrier properties of starch-polyvinyl alcohol based biodegradable composite films. Food Bioscience. 2021; 44:101352.

Alonso-López O, López-Ibáñez S, Beiras R. Assessment of toxicity and biodegradability of poly (vinyl alcohol)-based materials in marine water. Polymers. 2021; 13:3742.

Pérez-Blanco C, Huang-Lin E, Abrusci C. Characterization, biodegradation and cytotoxicity of thermoplastic starch and ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer blends. Carbohydrate Polymers. 2022; 298:120085.

Julinová M, Kupec J, Alexy P, Hoffmann J, Sedlařík V, Vojtek T, et al. Lignin and starch as potential inductors for biodegradation of films based on poly (vinyl alcohol) and protein hydrolysate. Polymer Degradation and Stability. 2010; 95:225-233.

Haque ANMA, Remadevi R, Wang X, Naebe M. Biodegradable cotton gin trash/poly (vinyl alcohol) composite plastic: Effect of particle size on physicochemical properties. Powder Technology. 2020; 375:1-10.

Song M, Park J, Jeon J, Ha Y-G, Cho Y-R, Koo H-J, et al. Application of poly (vinyl alcohol)-cryogels to immobilizing nitrifiers: Enhanced tolerance to shear stress-induced destruction and viability control. Science of The Total Environment. 2023; 855:158835.

Pan Y, Liu Y, Wu D, Shen C, Ma C, Li F, et al. Application of Fenton pre-oxidation, Ca-induced coagulation, and sludge reclamation for enhanced treatment of ultra-high concentration poly (vinyl alcohol) wastewater. Journal of hazardous materials. 2020; 389:121866.

Lan W, Wang S, Chen M, Sameen DE, Lee K, Liu Y. Developing poly (vinyl alcohol)/chitosan films incorporate with d-limonene: Study of structural, antibacterial, and fruit preservation properties. International journal of biological macromolecules. 2020; 145:722-732.

Bian H, Cao M, Wen H, Tan Z, Jia S, Cui J. Biodegradation of polyvinyl alcohol using cross-linked enzyme aggregates of degrading enzymes from Bacillus niacini. International journal of biological macromolecules. 2019; 124:10-16.

Ibzhanova A, Niyazbekova R, Al Azzam K, Negim E, Akibekov O. Biodegradability of Non-wood Packaging Paper. Egyptian Journal of Chemistry. 2022; 65(10):131-139.

Zheng J, Hu Y, Su C, Liang W, Liu X, Zhao W, et al. Structural, physicochemical and biodegradable properties of composite plastics prepared with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), OSA potato starch and gliadin. Journal of Food Engineering. 2023; 339:111278.

Yan J, Li M, Wang H, Lian X, Fan Y, Xie Z, et al. Preparation and property studies of chitosan-PVA biodegradable antibacterial multilayer films doped with Cu2O and nano-chitosan composites. Food Control. 2021; 126:108049.

Rag SA, Dhamodharan D, Selvakumar M, Bhat S, De S, Byun H-S. Impedance spectroscopic study of biodegradable PVA/PVP doped TBAI ionic liquid polymer electrolyte. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. 2022; 111:43-50.

Negim ESM, Rakhmetullayeva RK, Yeligbayeva GZh, Urkimbaeva PI, Primzharova ST, Kaldybekov DB, Khatib JM, Mun GA, Craig W. Improving biodegradability of polyvinyl alcohol/starch blend films for packaging applications. International Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences. 2014; 3(3):263-273.

Chai W-L, Chow J-D, Chen C-C. Effects of modified starch and different molecular weight polyvinyl alcohols on biodegradable characteristics of polyvinyl alcohol/starch blends. Journal of Polymers and the Environment. 2012; 20:550-564.

Iskalieva A, Orazalin Z, Yeligbayeva G, Irmukhametova G, Taburova S, & Toktar T. Synthesis of Biodegradable Polymer-Based on Starch for Packaging Films: A Review. Kompleksnoe Ispolzovanie Mineralnogo Syra = Complex Use of Mineral Resources. 2024; 329(2):110-130.

Shulen R, & Kazybayeva D. Synthesis and characterization of new biodegradable gels based on 2,2 ’-(ethylenedioxy) diethanethiol and pentaerythritol triacrylate. Kompleksnoe Ispolzovanie Mineralnogo Syra = Complex Use of Mineral Resources. 2021; 320(1):25-31.

Downloads

Published

2024-02-13

How to Cite

Samy, M., Bekbayeva, L., Mohammed, A., Irmukhametova, G., Zhetpisbay , D., Majeed, N., Yermukhambetova, B., & Mun, G. (2024). Overview of biodegradable polymers: synthesis, modification and application . Kompleksnoe Ispolzovanie Mineralnogo Syra = Complex Use of Mineral Resources, 332(1), 19–31. https://doi.org/10.31643/2025/6445.02

Issue

Section

Engineering and technology

Most read articles by the same author(s)