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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Environmental Degradation of Plastic Composites with Natural Fillers—A Review
ClearChanges in Wood Plastic Composite Properties After Natural Weathering and Potential Microplastic Formation
Researchers studied how wood-plastic composite materials break down during two years of outdoor weathering in Latvia. They found that the composites developed surface cracks and chemical changes relatively quickly, with exposed wood particles suggesting the release of microplastic fragments. The findings challenge the perception of wood-plastic composites as environmentally friendly alternatives, since they may contribute to microplastic pollution over time.
A Review of Weathering Studies in Plastics and Biocomposites—Effects on Mechanical Properties and Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
This review summarizes how plastics and bio-based composite materials degrade when exposed to sunlight, heat, and moisture over time. Researchers found that weathering causes surface cracking, loss of strength, and release of volatile organic compounds, with different polymer types degrading through distinct chemical pathways. The study highlights that understanding these degradation processes is important for predicting the environmental impact and lifespan of both conventional and bio-based plastic materials.
Sustainable Biodegradable Biocomposites Reinforced With Natural Fibers: A Review on Processing, Properties, and Degradation
As concern grows about plastic waste and microplastic pollution from synthetic polymers, this review examines biodegradable biocomposites reinforced with natural plant fibers as a more sustainable alternative. The authors find that these materials can match or exceed the mechanical performance of conventional plastics while actually degrading in the environment — but note a critical gap: lab biodegradation tests often do not reflect real-world conditions, creating uncertainty about how quickly these materials actually break down. Better standardized testing and lifecycle analysis are needed to confirm whether natural fiber biocomposites can genuinely replace conventional plastics at industrial scale.
Biodegradable Composites Based on Fossil Types of Raw Materials. Part Ii: the Process of Biodegradation (review)
This review (Part II) examines the biodegradation processes of composite materials made from conventional fossil-based plastics and biodegradable components. The study addresses how these hybrid materials break down under environmental conditions, relevant to understanding whether biodegradable plastic alternatives actually degrade as expected.
Fragmentation of polymer nanocomposites: modulation by dry and wet weathering, fractionation, and nanomaterial filler
Environmental weathering of polymer nanocomposites — plastics embedded with carbon nanotubes, graphene, or inorganic nanoparticles — causes them to fragment and release both microplastics and engineered nanomaterials. This dual release creates complex mixtures of contaminants with unknown combined effects on ecosystems and human health.
Compatibility of Polymer/Fiber to Enhance the Wood Plastic Composite Properties and their Applications
This review examined how fiber compatibility affects the properties of wood-plastic composite materials, which combine natural fibers with plastic matrices for construction and other uses. Developing better bio-composite materials can help reduce reliance on pure plastics that contribute to microplastic pollution.
In-soil degradation of polymer materials waste – A survey of different approaches in relation with environmental impact
This review surveys the in-soil degradation of polymer materials — including natural fibers, synthetic plastics, and composites — examining how environmental factors such as UV radiation, microorganisms, moisture, and temperature drive degradation and influence the environmental impact of plastic waste in terrestrial ecosystems.
Review on the Biological Degradation of Polymers in Various Environments
This review provides an overview of how biodegradable plastics degrade under different environmental conditions including soil, freshwater, marine, and composting environments. It finds that biodegradability is a material property strongly dependent on environmental conditions, and that many so-called biodegradable plastics degrade far more slowly in nature than in controlled test conditions.
Biodegradable Polymer-Based Natural Fiber Composites
This review examined biodegradable polymer composites reinforced with natural fibers as alternatives to conventional plastics. Combining biodegradable matrices with plant fibers improved mechanical performance while maintaining degradability and reducing the risk of persistent microplastic contamination. These materials represent a promising direction for sustainable packaging and construction applications.
Biodegradable plastics in the air and soil environment: Low degradation rate and high microplastics formation
Researchers compared the degradation rates of various biodegradable plastic types in natural air and soil environments over time, finding that most degraded slowly under ambient conditions and generated substantial microplastic fragments, with non-certified biodegradable plastics showing essentially no degradation.
Degradation of microplastics in the natural environment: A comprehensive review on process, mechanism, influencing factor and leaching behavior
This review examines how microplastics break down in the environment through physical, chemical, and biological processes, and what happens as they degrade. As microplastics age and fragment, they release chemical additives and dissolved organic matter that can be toxic, meaning degrading plastics may actually become more harmful to ecosystems and human health over time.
A Mini Review on Recent Insight into Degradation of Environmental Plastics
This mini-review summarizes current knowledge on how plastics break down in the environment to form microplastics, covering mechanical, photochemical, thermal, and biological degradation pathways, and identifies key gaps in understanding how environmental conditions and plastic properties influence degradation rates.
Aging of PLA/NR electrospun fibers under the influence of UV-irradiation, water and soil environment
Researchers tested how UV light, water, and soil exposure age and degrade biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) and natural rubber (NR) composite fibers. Higher natural rubber content accelerated degradation, important information for designing biodegradable plastic products that break down as intended without generating persistent microplastics.
Aging Process of Biocomposites with the PLA Matrix Modified with Different Types of Cellulose
Researchers prepared polylactic acid composites with three different cellulose-based fillers and studied how they age under UV light exposure. The study found that the type of cellulose additive plays a crucial role in how well the material resists UV degradation, with some forms improving both mechanical properties and degradation timing. These findings support the potential of biodegradable polymer composites as alternatives to conventional plastics that generate persistent microplastic waste.
Prevention of Biofouling Due to Water Absorption of Natural Fiber Composites in the Aquatic Environment: A Critical Review
This review examines how natural fiber composites used in boats and marine structures absorb water and become damaged by marine organisms over time. While focused on engineering materials rather than health effects, the study is relevant to microplastic research because degrading composite materials in aquatic environments can release plastic particles and chemical additives into the water. Understanding how these materials break down helps identify an often-overlooked source of microplastic pollution in marine environments.
Analysis of the Mechanical Degradability of Biodegradable Polymer-Based Bags in Different Environments
Researchers analyzed the mechanical degradability of biodegradable polymer-based bags under simulated environmental conditions, measuring fragmentation rates and the physical characteristics of resulting particles. The bags fragmented into microplastic-sized pieces under mechanical stress comparable to environmental conditions, raising concerns that biodegradable bags may contribute to environmental microplastic loads during incomplete degradation.
Quantification of microplastics formed during weathering from wood-plastic composites
Scientists found that wood-plastic composite materials (eco-friendly plastics mixed with wood) can release tiny plastic particles called microplastics when they break down from sun and weather exposure. Some products like flowerpots released extremely high amounts of these particles, while others like decking released none at all. This matters because microplastics can potentially harm human health when they get into our environment, water, and food supply.
Acceleration of Biodegradation Using Polymer Blends and Composites
This review examines how blending biodegradable polymers with other materials can tune both physical properties and biodegradation rates, noting that many biodegradable plastics degrade far more slowly than claimed. The authors stress that biodegradation claims require rigorous validation under realistic environmental conditions.
Razgradnja mikroplastike v okolju
This review examines the degradation of microplastics in the environment, explaining how the rate of polymer breakdown is governed by intrinsic material properties -- including chemical structure, molecular weight, crystallinity, and additives -- alongside environmental factors such as UV radiation, temperature, humidity, and the specific matrix in which the plastic resides.
Recent advances in research from plastic materials to microplastics
This review traced recent advances in understanding plastic material degradation into microplastics, covering mechanical, photochemical, and biological fragmentation pathways and reviewing current knowledge on environmental fate and biological effects.
Influence of the Presence of a Nano-Sized Filler in the Generation of Microplastics from Polypropylene Nanocomposites
Researchers studied how adding nano-sized fillers to polypropylene nanocomposites affects the generation of microplastics during degradation. The study found that the presence of nanofillers influences the rate and characteristics of microplastic formation, providing evidence that the composition of plastic products affects their potential to generate secondary microplastic pollution.
Properties of wood composite plastics made from predominant Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) plastics and their degradability in nature
Researchers produced wood-plastic composites from low-density polyethylene and wood powder and evaluated their physical properties and natural degradability. The study found that while the materials met mechanical standards, they degraded very slowly in natural environments, underscoring the persistence of LDPE-based products.
Potential environmental impacts of bioplastic degradation in natural marine environments: A comprehensive review
This review examines the environmental impacts of biodegradable plastics degrading in marine environments, finding that their microscale breakdown raises significant concerns about contributing to microplastic pollution rather than eliminating it. The authors conclude that biodegradable plastics require reevaluation as petroleum-based plastic substitutes given the incomplete understanding of their behavior at the microscale in marine ecosystems.
olYours iReview on microplastic-polymer composite interactions: Assessing contaminant adsorption, structural integrity, and environmental impacts
This review examines how microplastics interact with polymer composites, focusing on contaminant adsorption mechanisms, effects on composite structural integrity, and the broader environmental implications of plastic-pollutant interactions in ecosystems.