Biopolymers: overview of several properties and consequences on their applications.

By K. V. Velde, P. Kiekens. 2002

776 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Abstract Recently, interest in composite manufacturing has shifted towards the use of natural fibres as reinforcement because of their environmental benefits. The use of a biodegradable matrix is worth considering since this would result in a completely biodegradable composite. In order to assess the most suitable matrix polymer, one must know the properties of the available polymers. Since data tend to be widely scattered over many sources and are very scarce compared to the conventional polymers, it is the purpose of this article to give an overview of the most relevant properties of a range of biodegradable polymers. An overview such as the one given here may provide a useful guide in establishing the best compromise between conflicting property demands. Data are presented mostly as ranges (in tables) as well as in graphs for quick comparison reasons. One specific application (thermoplastic pultrusion with flax as reinforcement) is also studied.

Subfields: Automotive Engineering, Biomaterials, Polymers and Plastics

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/9193ac1ef0e1ccc765e072aa687eaa6fe8da160f

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Automotive Engineering

1. L. Avérous
2. Gye-Chun Cho
3. E. Díaz-Montes
4. I. Chang
5. C. Andersson
6. F. L. Digabel

In Biomaterials

1. L. Avérous
2. P. Halley
3. I. Chang
4. Gye-Chun Cho
5. F. L. Digabel
6. C. Andersson
7. M. E. D. Silva
8. E. Díaz-Montes

In Polymers and Plastics

1. L. Avérous
2. P. Halley
3. C. Andersson
4. Gye-Chun Cho
5. E. Díaz-Montes
6. E. Malmström
7. L. Berglund
8. I. Chang

Citations in the corpus

• Green composites: A review of material attributes and complementary applications (2014, background): “Summary of polymer properties, values taken from [4,8,10,13,87–90].”
• Biodegradable Multiphase Systems Based on Plasticized Starch: A Review (2004, background): “6 7 8 A vast number of biodegradable polymers have been synthesized or are formed in nature during the growth cycles of all organisms.”
• Strengthening of Korean residual soil with β-1,3/1,6-glucan biopolymer (2012, background): “Biopolymers are polymers produced by living organisms, and most biopolymer applications are in the field of medical engineering, such as drug delivery systems, wound healing, and surgical implantations [16].”
• Study of the Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)/Cellulose Nanowhisker Composites Prepared by Solution Casting and Melt Processing (2008, methodology): “PHB and PHBV composites with wood fiber [6–8], flax [9,10], recycled cellulose fiber [11], and pineapple fiber [12] have been prepared by melt-compounding.”
• Polymer biodegradation: mechanisms and estimation techniques. (2008, background): “(c) Internal biodeterioration can be evaluated by change of rheological properties (Van de Velde and Kiekens, 2002).”
• New ways to enhance the functionality of paperboard by surface treatment – a review (2008, background): “Lactide dimers are formed by the condensation of two lactic acid molecules, resulting in LD- or LD (meso) lactide.(141,142) Commercial quantities of PLA for packaging applications are produced through ring-opening polymerization of lactide,(142) because this reaction favours the formation of higher-”