TY - JOUR
T1 - Macro and micro routes to high performance bioplastics
T2 - Bioplastic biodegradability and mechanical and barrier properties
AU - Attallah, Olivia A.
AU - Mojicevic, Marija
AU - Garcia, Eduardo Lanzagorta
AU - Azeem, Muhammad
AU - Chen, Yuanyuan
AU - Asmawi, Shumayl
AU - Fournet, Margaret Brenan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2021/7/1
Y1 - 2021/7/1
N2 - On a score sheet for plastics, bioplastics have a medium score for combined mechanical performance and a high score for biodegradability with respect to counterpart petroleum-based plastics. Analysis quickly confirms that endeavours to increase the mechanical performance score for bioplastics would be far more achievable than delivering adequate biodegradability for the recalci-trant plastics, while preserving their impressive mechanical performances. Key architectural features of both bioplastics and petroleum-based plastics, namely, molecular weight (Mw) and crystallinity, which underpin mechanical performance, typically have an inversely dependent relationship with biodegradability. In the case of bioplastics, both macro and micro strategies with dual positive correlation on mechanical and biodegradability performance, are available to address this dilemma. Regarding the macro approach, processing using selected fillers, plasticisers and compatibilisers have been shown to enhance both targeted mechanical properties and biodegradability within bio-plastics. Whereas, regarding the micro approach, a whole host of bio and chemical synthetic routes are uniquely available, to produce improved bioplastics. In this review, the main characteristics of bioplastics in terms of mechanical and barrier performances, as well as biodegradability, have been assessed—identifying both macro and micro routes promoting favourable bioplastics’ production, processability and performance.
AB - On a score sheet for plastics, bioplastics have a medium score for combined mechanical performance and a high score for biodegradability with respect to counterpart petroleum-based plastics. Analysis quickly confirms that endeavours to increase the mechanical performance score for bioplastics would be far more achievable than delivering adequate biodegradability for the recalci-trant plastics, while preserving their impressive mechanical performances. Key architectural features of both bioplastics and petroleum-based plastics, namely, molecular weight (Mw) and crystallinity, which underpin mechanical performance, typically have an inversely dependent relationship with biodegradability. In the case of bioplastics, both macro and micro strategies with dual positive correlation on mechanical and biodegradability performance, are available to address this dilemma. Regarding the macro approach, processing using selected fillers, plasticisers and compatibilisers have been shown to enhance both targeted mechanical properties and biodegradability within bio-plastics. Whereas, regarding the micro approach, a whole host of bio and chemical synthetic routes are uniquely available, to produce improved bioplastics. In this review, the main characteristics of bioplastics in terms of mechanical and barrier performances, as well as biodegradability, have been assessed—identifying both macro and micro routes promoting favourable bioplastics’ production, processability and performance.
KW - Barrier perfor-mance
KW - Biodegradation
KW - Biomaterials
KW - Bioplastics
KW - Mechanical performance
KW - Processability
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85109933754&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/polym13132155
DO - 10.3390/polym13132155
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85109933754
SN - 2073-4360
VL - 13
JO - Polymers
JF - Polymers
IS - 13
M1 - 2155
ER -