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Degradation of Bioderived Polyurethane Composites by Spectroscopy in ISO20200 Composting Conditions
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Researchers used computational methods including support vector machines and deep learning to predict reproductive toxicity in pharmaceutical compounds, identifying three distinct toxicity clusters linked to phthalates and phenol derivatives, with their best model achieving 88% accuracy — offering a faster, safer alternative to animal-based toxicity testing.
Polyurethane foam compositions derived from bioderived polyester polyols with various additives were evaluated for disintegration under composting conditions using the ISO 20200 standard and were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and imaging to provide additional insight. Compared to polyether polyol-based polyurethanes, the bioderived polyurethanes were found to display increased disintegration with an average mass loss of 25.4 ± 3.6 weight percent when subjected to composting conditions for 45 days, suggesting that these materials are less likely to persist in the environment when compared to other types of commodity plastics. Additives such as carbon black and lignin added within the foam composition did not accelerate the disintegration.
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Researchers formulated biodegradable polyurethane foams from algae-derived polyols that meet commercial footwear standards and lost up to 71% of their mass in soil within 12 weeks. Isolated microorganisms capable of using polyurethane as a sole carbon source were identified as key drivers of breakdown.
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Researchers investigated biodegradation of different thermoplastic polyurethane formulations in compost, finding that the ester bond chemistry of polyurethanes enables some degree of hydrolytic degradation. The rate and extent of biodegradation varied substantially with polymer chemistry, with ester-based polyurethanes degrading faster than ether-based types.
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This bachelor thesis assessed the biodegradability of new lightweight polyurethanes synthesized for agricultural applications using respirometric methods over 150 days. The best biodegradable material achieved only 9.73% mineralization, and the study notes that non-biodegradable residual plastic particles represent a potential environmental risk as microplastics.
Long-term localization experiments reveal aging degradation mechanisms of biobased and petroleum-based polyurethanes in natural environments: degradation characteristics, product assessment and degradation cycle prediction
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Researchers conducted a 807-day field localisation experiment to study the degradation mechanisms of biobased and petroleum-based polyurethanes used as polymer coatings on controlled-release fertilisers in natural soil environments. The study characterised the degradation products, assessed environmental risk, and developed a predictive model for the degradation cycle, finding that both polyurethane types fragment into microplastic residues at different rates.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.