Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Influence of FFF Process Conditions on the Thermal, Mechanical, and Rheological Properties of Poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxy Hexanoate)

Fused filament fabrication of the biodegradable polymer PHBH was characterized, finding that crystallization occurs isothermally after bed deposition rather than during cooling, and that higher nozzle and bed temperatures improved mechanical properties by reducing void formation and improving interlayer adhesion.

2023 Polymers 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Innovative solutions and challenges to increase the use of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) in food packaging and disposables

This review examined strategies to overcome the processing limitations of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) for food packaging, covering blending, copolymerization, and nanotechnology approaches to address its brittleness and narrow processing window while preserving its biodegradability advantages.

2022 European Polymer Journal 95 citations
Article Tier 2

In silico Characterization of Natural Blending Agents in Conjunction with Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) to Solicit Biopolymer film with Improved Thermal Stability

Researchers used computational simulations to investigate blending polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) with biodegradable polymers, particularly pectin, to address PHB thermal stability limitations. They found that the PHB-pectin blend produced a 346.92 K increase in glass transition temperature compared to pure PHB, indicating substantially improved thermal performance for bioplastic film applications.

2024 International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research
Article Tier 2

Enhancing the Mechanical Properties of Inherently Brittle, Biobased and Biodegradable Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) Polymer by Cotton Fibre Reinforcement and Interfacial Grafting

This study developed biobased and biodegradable packaging films by modifying PLA and PBSA blends, achieving improved flexibility and toughness compared to brittle pure PLA, with the goal of replacing fossil-fuel-based packaging materials with compostable alternatives.

2025 Advanced Sustainable Systems 2 citations
Article Tier 2

A Biodegradable Composite of Poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) with Short Cellulose Fiber for Packaging

Researchers developed biodegradable composite materials by incorporating short cellulose fibers into PHBV biopolymer, addressing the polymer's narrow processing window and improving its suitability for sustainable packaging applications.

2023 Materials Research 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation Studies of Polyhydroxybutyrate and Polyhydroxybutyrate-co-Polyhydroxyvalerate Films in Soil

Researchers studied the biodegradation properties of two bioplastic polymers, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and polyhydroxybutyrate-co-polyhydroxyvalerate (PHBV), in soil under different moisture conditions. Both polymers degraded completely in fully saturated soil, with the study tracking changes in appearance, chemical signatures, mechanical properties, and molecular weight, supporting these materials as viable biodegradable alternatives to conventional petrochemical-derived plastics.

2023 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Fully Biodegradable PLA/PHB Blend Filled with Microcrystalline Celluloses

Researchers developed biodegradable biocomposites from PLA/PHB polymer blends reinforced with microcrystalline cellulose, finding that adding up to 4 wt% cellulose improved material properties, while higher loadings at 7 wt% reduced crystallinity and thermal stability due to filler aggregation.

2023 Materials Research 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of spherulite growth in PHB‐based systems – A DoE approach

Not directly relevant to microplastics — this paper uses a design-of-experiments approach to study spherulite growth kinetics in polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)-based biopolymer formulations.

2023 Journal of Applied Polymer Science 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Recycled Poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) as Food Packaging: Effect of Multiple Melt Processing on Packaging Performance and Food Contact Suitability

Researchers examined whether biodegradable PHBV polymer could be recycled through repeated melt processing for food packaging use, finding that multiple extrusion cycles degraded mechanical properties but maintained crystalline structure and barrier performance, while also assessing the migration potential of any neo-formed chemicals into food.

2022 Journal of Polymers and the Environment 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Copolymers and Blends Based on 3-Hydroxybutyrate and 3-Hydroxyvalerate Units

This paper is not about microplastics. It reviews the biodegradable biopolymer PHBV (poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)), covering its production, properties, degradation behavior, and applications in various sectors. While PHBV is studied as a potential biodegradable alternative to conventional plastics, this paper focuses on polymer science and materials engineering rather than microplastic pollution.

2023 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial Production of Biopolymer Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB): Current Challenges and its Application

This review examines the microbial production of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), a biodegradable polyester produced by microorganisms as an energy and carbon storage compound, covering current production challenges and industrial applications. The study discusses PHB as a biopolymer alternative to petroleum-based plastics, addressing cost, yield, and scalability barriers limiting its commercial adoption.

2023 Asian Journal of Chemistry 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Nanocomposites with Cellulose Nanocrystals

This review examined poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)/cellulose nanocrystal nanocomposites as biodegradable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, covering preparation routes and how cellulose nanocrystals improve thermal stability, mechanical strength, and barrier properties. The authors concluded that using low-value biomass feedstocks to produce both components could support a viable circular bio-based economy for sustainable packaging.

2022 Polymers 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyhydroxyalkanoates biosynthesis, resulting polymer structures, and plasticization

This review examines polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a class of biodegradable biopolymers synthesized by microorganisms, discussing strategies including plasticizers and monomer inclusion to overcome the brittleness and processing challenges of the most common PHA, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate).

2024
Article Tier 2

Valorization of agro-industrial waste from the cassava industry as esterified cellulose butyrate for polyhydroxybutyrate-based biocomposites

This study produced biodegradable biocomposites from cassava pulp microcrystalline cellulose and in-house synthesized polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) biopolymer. The cassava agro-industrial waste-based materials offer a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastics for packaging applications, with the potential to reduce environmental microplastic accumulation.

2023 PLoS ONE 2 citations
Review Tier 2

A Review on Current Strategies for the Modulation of Thermomechanical, Barrier, and Biodegradation Properties of Poly (Butylene Succinate) (PBS) and Its Random Copolymers

This review covers strategies for modifying the thermomechanical, barrier, and biodegradation properties of poly(butylene succinate) and its copolymers, positioning PBS as one of the most promising biodegradable plastics for replacing conventional commodity polymers. The authors synthesize research on blending, copolymerization, and nanofiller incorporation as approaches to tailor PBS performance for specific packaging and agricultural applications.

2022 Polymers 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of Biodegradable Polymers for Porous Structure: Further Steps toward Sustainable Plastics

Four biodegradable polymers -- PBAT, PBS, PHBV, and PLA -- were systematically characterized for mechanical, thermal, and porous structural properties to assess their suitability as more sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics.

2024 Polymers 8 citations
Article Tier 2

A review on poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) [P(3HB-co-3HHx)] and genetic modifications that affect its production

This review examined the properties, biodegradation behavior, and application potential of the biopolymer P(3HB-co-3HHx), a polyhydroxyalkanoate with mechanical properties comparable to common commodity plastics. The authors assess its viability as a drop-in replacement for single-use plastics, medical devices, and packaging with genuine end-of-life biodegradability.

2022 Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable Polyhydroxyalkanoates with a Different Set of Valerate Monomers: Chemical Structure and Physicochemical Properties

This materials science study synthesised novel biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) copolymers containing unusual valerate monomers to explore whether their thermal and crystallisation properties could be tuned to outperform conventional bioplastics. The new terpolymers showed improved thermal stability and lower crystallinity compared to standard PHA copolymers. Research into genuinely biodegradable plastics is directly relevant to microplastics because materials that fully break down in the environment would not accumulate as persistent micro- and nanoparticles.

2023 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of microbial biomass content on biodegradation and mechanical properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) composites

This paper is not about microplastics — it studies how adding microbial biomass (algae and cyanobacteria) to a biodegradable polyester (PHB) accelerates its degradation rate in soil.

2023 Biodegradation 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents for PHB Recovery: Mechanistic Insights and Implications for Sustainable Downstream Processing

This study examines recovery methods for polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), a biodegradable plastic alternative, with a focus on replacing toxic chlorinated solvents with green and natural deep eutectic solvents; PHB is relevant to microplastics research because switching from conventional plastics to PHB would reduce the long-lived microplastic fragments that accumulate in the environment. The paper provides quantitative comparisons of extraction yields and solvent recyclability to guide more sustainable PHB production at scale.

2026 Polymers
Article Tier 2

Characterization of PHB/Clay Biocomposites Exposed to Degradation in an Aquatic Environment

This study examined how bioplastic composites made from poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and clay degrade in water. Adding clay altered the degradation rate, and the type of clay (natural vs. organically modified) had different effects — important for designing biodegradable plastics that break down predictably in aquatic environments.

2023 Materials Research 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Atomization of Microfibrillated Cellulose and Its Incorporation into Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) by Reactive Extrusion

Researchers prepared biodegradable food packaging films from PHBV bioplastic reinforced with microfibrillated cellulose. These green composite materials offer a potential alternative to petroleum-based plastic packaging, which is a major source of environmental microplastic pollution.

2022 Applied Sciences 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of Matrix Crystallization on Vickers Hardness of Cellulose Fiber / Poly(lactic acid) Composites

This study investigated how crystallization processes affect the hardness of composites made from cellulose nanofibers and polylactic acid, a biodegradable plastic, with implications for replacing conventional fossil-fuel-based plastics.

2023 Kikai Zairyou, Zairyou Kakou Gijutsu Kouenkai kouen rombunshuu/Kikai Zairyo, Zairyo Kako Gijutsu Koenkai koen ronbunshu
Article Tier 2

Bio-Polyester/Rubber Compounds: Fabrication, Characterization, and Biodegradation

This paper is not about microplastics; it investigates biodegradable bioplastic blends made from polyhydroxybutyrate and natural rubber as potential alternatives to fossil-based plastics.

2023 Polymers 9 citations