Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Thermal, Morphological and Mechanical Properties of Multifunctional Composites Based on Biodegradable Polymers/Bentonite Clay: A Review

This review examines how adding bentonite clay nanofillers to biodegradable polymers can improve their mechanical strength, heat resistance, and barrier properties. Researchers found that bentonite-enhanced composites show promise as replacements for conventional plastics in packaging and other applications. The study highlights that these materials could help reduce plastic pollution while overcoming the performance limitations that have held back biodegradable alternatives.

2023 Polymers 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthesis and Study of Fully Biodegradable Composites Based on Poly(butylene succinate) and Biochar

Researchers synthesized poly(butylene succinate) biocomposites containing up to 5% biochar and found that incorporating biochar improved thermal stability and altered mechanical properties, offering a pathway to fully biodegradable materials that could help address microplastic pollution from conventional plastics.

2023 Polymers 28 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

Preparation and Spectroscopic, Thermal, and Mechanical Characterization of Biocomposites of Poly(butylene succinate) and Onion Peels or Durum Wheat Bran

Not relevant to microplastics — this materials science study characterizes the structural, thermal, and mechanical properties of biodegradable composite materials made from poly(butylene succinate) blended with onion peel or durum wheat bran filler.

2023 Materials 8 citations
Article Tier 2

High Barrier, Biodegradable Nanocomposite Films Based on Clay‐Coated and Chemically Modified Gum Kondagogu

Researchers fabricated biodegradable nanocomposite films from tree gum kondagogu coated with spray-applied sodium-hectorite clay dispersion, achieving very high barrier properties including low oxygen transmission rate (approximately 1.7 cm3/m2/day) even at high relative humidity. The films were designed as a sustainable, mechanically stable substitute for petro-sourced plastic packaging materials in response to microplastic pollution concerns.

2022 Macromolecular Materials and Engineering 9 citations
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Micro-Nanoparticles on Morphology, Thermal, Barrier, Mechanical, and Thermomechanical Properties of PLA/PCL Blends for Application in Personal Hygiene: A Review

This review covers how micro- and nanoparticle reinforcements alter the morphology, thermal stability, barrier properties, and mechanical performance of PLA/PCL biodegradable polymer blends for personal hygiene applications. It evaluates the potential of these composites to replace non-biodegradable plastics while meeting functional performance requirements.

2025 Polymers 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative Study of the Addition of TiO2 and TiO2/OMMT Clay on the Properties of PBAT for Biodegradable Food Packaging Applications

Researchers incorporated TiO₂ nanoparticles and TiO₂/OMMT clay into a biodegradable PBAT matrix to improve its properties for food packaging, finding that the nanofillers enhanced barrier and mechanical performance without significantly altering thermal stability or crystallinity.

2025 Materials Research
Article Tier 2

Bio-nanocomposites films based on unmodified and modified thermoplastic starch reinforced with chemically modified nanoclays

Researchers developed biodegradable bio-nanocomposite films by combining chemically modified thermoplastic starch with functionalized nanoclays via reactive extrusion, demonstrating that both strategies synergistically reduce water sensitivity and improve mechanical and barrier properties — offering a pathway toward more stable, sustainable packaging materials that degrade without generating persistent plastic waste.

2023 Journal of Materials Science 18 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

Moving Toward Paperization of Packaging Industry: Use of Laponite and Montmorillonite Nanoclays for Recyclable and Biodegradable High-Barrier Paper

Researchers developed a biodegradable paper coating using polyvinyl alcohol and nanoclays (laponite and montmorillonite) that achieves oxygen barrier performance nine times better than PET plastic film. This work is directly relevant to microplastic pollution because replacing conventional plastic packaging with biodegradable, non-microplastic-forming alternatives is a key strategy for reducing environmental plastic loads.

2026 ACS Omega
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable composites based on well-characterized cellulose and poly (butyleneadipate-co-terephthalate)

Researchers developed biodegradable cellulose/PBAT composite films using a silane compatibilizer and one-step reactive extrusion, achieving improved thermal stability, barrier properties, and mechanical performance compared to unmodified blends, making them a promising sustainable alternative to conventional plastic packaging.

2023 BioResources 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Design of cellulose nanofibre-based composites with high barrier properties

Researchers tested four types of cellulose nanofibres and two clay mineral combinations for making composite films with gas barrier properties, finding that TEMPO-oxidized and cationized nanofibres with clay minerals produced films with superior mechanical and barrier performance. These plant-derived composites offer a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based packaging films.

2023 Cellulose 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthesis of a New Biocomposite for Fertiliser Coating: Assessment of Biodegradabilityand Thermal Stability

Researchers developed a biocomposite made from cellulose nanoparticles, natural rubber, and polylactic acid for use as a biodegradable fertilizer coating. Using natural biopolymers to coat fertilizers instead of conventional plastic films could help reduce agricultural microplastic contamination from plastic-coated slow-release fertilizers.

2023 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Development of Eco-Friendly Silane-Treated Rice Flour/PBS Biocomposites with ENR-50 as a Compatibilizer: A Study on Phase Morphology, Properties and Biodegradation

Despite its title referencing biodegradable packaging, this paper studies the material properties of biocomposite films made from polybutylene succinate (PBS) and rice flour for use as food packaging — not microplastic pollution or health impacts. It examines how different filler amounts and compatibilizers affect mechanical and biodegradation properties and is only indirectly relevant to microplastics as an effort to replace conventional plastic packaging.

2025 Polymers 1 citations
Article Tier 2

A Study of Plant-Filled Polymer Composites Based on Highly Plasticized Polyvinyl Chloride

Not relevant to microplastics — this is a polymer materials study developing plant-filled PVC composites (using spruce flour, birch flour, and rice husk as fillers) to improve the ecological profile of PVC products, with testing of mechanical and thermal properties.

2024 Polymers 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Study on the Biodegradation of Poly(Butylene Succinate)/Wheat Bran Biocomposites

Not relevant to microplastics — this study investigates how a biodegradable plastic (poly(butylene succinate) blended with wheat bran) breaks down in compost, tracking changes in crystallinity, molecular mass, and thermal properties over 70 days.

2023 Materials 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable Materials with Enhanced Mechanical Properties Based on Industrial Polyhydroxyalkanoates Reinforced with Organomodified Sepiolite and Montmorillonite

Researchers developed a biodegradable composite material by adding natural clay minerals to industrial biopolymer (PHA), improving its strength and durability compared to plain PHA. Biodegradable plastics like this could help reduce the generation of persistent microplastics from conventional petroleum-based packaging.

2019 Polymers 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Advances in the Modeling of Synthesis, Design and Properties of Polymers

This computational chemistry dissertation used atomistic simulations to study the synthesis and properties of emerging polymer materials. Computational approaches to polymer design could accelerate development of biodegradable plastics that break down quickly rather than persisting as microplastics.

2023 Deep Blue (University of Michigan)
Article Tier 2

Barrier Performance of Spray Coated Cellulose Nanofiber–Montmorillonite (MMT) Composites

Researchers developed cellulose nanofiber coatings blended with clay minerals to create paper-based packaging with very low oxygen permeability. This biodegradable alternative to plastic packaging could help reduce plastic waste in food packaging applications.

2023 Journal of Multidisciplinary Cases
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Significance of biopolymer-based hydrogels and their applications in agriculture: a review in perspective of synthesis and their degree of swelling for water holding

Researchers reviewed the development and agricultural applications of hydrogels made from natural biopolymers, which are biodegradable alternatives to synthetic plastics. These hydrogels can retain large amounts of water and deliver nutrients or active compounds to soil in a controlled way. The study suggests that biopolymer hydrogels could help improve crop yields while reducing the environmental burden of synthetic plastic materials in agriculture.

2023 RSC Advances 153 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradable Green Polymers, Green Nanopolymers and Green Nanocomposites Derived from Natural Systems: Statistics and Headways

This review surveys the fundamentals, classification, and properties of degradable green polymers, nanopolymers, and nanocomposites derived from natural sources, covering applications in transient electronics, barrier films, packaging, environmental protection, and biomedicine. The authors highlight the promise of natural degradable nanomaterials for addressing ecological challenges while noting that industrial and commercial scalability remains a significant hurdle.

2023 4 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

High Barrier Nanocomposite Film with Accelerated Biodegradation by Clay Swelling Induced Fragmentation

This study developed a polylactic acid (PLA) composite film reinforced with clay that improves the poor gas barrier properties of biodegradable plastics while also accelerating their breakdown through a clay-induced fragmentation mechanism. Creating biodegradable packaging that performs as well as conventional plastic while genuinely degrading in the environment is a key challenge for reducing plastic pollution.

2021 Macromolecular Materials and Engineering 17 citations