Papers by Keyword: Biodegradability

Abstract: Electronic equipment is exposed to rough vibrations throughout its life cycle. Electronic components can be damaged by these vibrations and could lead to device failure. The conventional Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) that form the foundation of numerous electronic devices are predominantly constructed from copper films that are bound to fiber epoxy laminates, such as FR4, which is composed of glass fibers, and FR1, which is composed of paper. Being biodegradable makes cellulose a more sustainable choice. Nonetheless, it is imperative to uphold performance criteria, and this work aims to contribute to this assessment. Using simulation studies, we compare the behavior of these two PCBs under vibrational stress. The finite element analysis (FEA) of the vibrations for the PCB samples was modelled using the Ansys software. The FEA simulations show that both types of PCBs have similar movements and accelerations at certain places on the board.

Abstract: The use of biodegradable materials from renewable natural resources helps to reduce the percentage of plastic waste. In this study, we used banana peel starch (Musa Paradisiaca L.) and shrimp shell chitosan as the basic material for bioplastic by adding glycerol. In this process, additives in the form of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) are also used. to increase the biodegradability level of the bioplastic. The composition of chitosan and glycerol used were 1 gr and 1%, respectively. Starch variations were 1, 2, and 3 grams, while CMC were 0.5, 1, and 1.5 grams. The results of this study, namely the Optical Microscope test showed that the bioplastic structure still contained pinholes (air bubbles), indentations, and non-homogeneous starch. In the tensile test conducted on samples G and C, the average tensile strength was 0.01063 MPa, the average elongation was 2.65% and the average Young's modulus was 2.159 MPa. The results of the Biodegradation Test showed that variations in the addition of CMC composition to bioplastics significantly affect the percent degradation value, where the greater the CMC composition, the higher the percent degradation value.

Abstract: Nowadays, thermoplastic starch-based biopolymers are an option to be developed into products for domestic use. However, thermoplastic starch (TPS) has poor antioxidant characteristic, which restricts its use in food packaging or films. To address this issue, the starch can be combined with a green and low-cost anti-oxidative agent, to create a new, reasonably priced TPS biocomposites. Anti-oxidative agent that derived from natural sources is the best option due to the non-toxicity, environmentally friendly and abundancy. In this study, the shear mixing and casting processes were employed to form biocomposite films made of TPS, red cabbage, and calcium carbonate with varying calcium carbonate loadings. Prior to the production of the biocomposite, the anthocyanins in the red cabbage was extracted for use as an antioxidant. The biocomposites' structures and morphology were examined using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Antioxidant and biodegradability testing were performed to assess the suitability of the TPS biocomposites for biodegradable food packaging application. Results indicate that the antioxidant activity and biodegradability of the TPS improved with the addition of the red cabbage, either in powder form or liquid form. Furthermore, the red cabbage powder not only acts as antioxidant but also as filler together with CaCO₃ to improve the performance of the TPS biocomposite for food packaging application.

Abstract: In this study, the CCD response surface methodology was used to model and optimise the performance of Lasienthera africanum leaves extract (LALE) as a corrosion inhibitor on mild steel. The experimental parameters were assessed at different immersion time and inhibitor concentration to determine the optimum conditions for corrosion mitigation. Using experimental results of the corrosion characteristics such as the weight loss, corrosion rate, and inhibition efficiency of LALE, new models were developed, the significance of which was tested using variance analysis. The developed RSM models of WL, CR, and IE were accurate and reliable, and their P-values were 0.0001, which is less than 0.05. Likewise, the R²-statistics (R², adjusted-R², and predicted-R²), adequate precision, and diagnostic plots were also used as a means to ascertain the degree of accuracy and adequacy of the WL, CR, and IE models. In addition, optimization of the corrosion inhibition process for LALE revealed that the optimum conditions for maximum IE, minimum WL, and CR were achieved at a concentration of 93.93 ppm and an immersion time of 228 hrs. Under these settings, the inhibition efficiency, weight loss, and corrosion rate were 93.85%, 0.294g and 3.267 mm/y, respectively. Therefore, the models are considered ideal for prediction with a confidence level of 95%, and the optimal combination is suitable for the corrosion inhibition process design. Hence these models can be recommended for applications such as oil well acidizing and pickling pipelines.

Abstract: Biodegradable films demand increases due to the awareness of the environmental effects of synthetic plastics. However, biodegradable films based on starch have high water sensibility and poor mechanical properties. This led to an interest among the scientist in improving the properties of biodegradable films. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of lotus root starch content on the water solubility, water absorption, water vapor permeability and biodegradability of cassava bioplastic films. The lotus root starch was added at 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% of cassava starch. The results showed that the water absorption properties decreased by 122% to 21% and the water vapor permeability showed a decreasing trend as the lotus starch content increased. The water solubility increased from 4% to 36% with the increase of lotus starch content and biodegradability increased by 87.5% at 50% of lotus starch content. The results exposed the potential of cassava/ lotus starch bioplastic films for food packaging applications.

Abstract: Nowadays, developing highly biodegradable polymer films for flexible packaging applications is one of many researchers' demanding and challenging tasks. Conventional plastics/polymers are still being extensively used, creating environmental pollution. Because most of the commercially available plastic products are marketed as biodegradable are not truly biodegradable and have several limitations for making flexible packaging films. The main objective of this work is to manufacture biodegradable polymer blends, with the best performance characteristics, for flexible packaging applications. The paper focused on improving the properties, i.e., tensile, barrier, and biodegradation properties, of commercially available polymers such as Polybutylene succinate (PBS), Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), and Polylactic acid (PLA) by blending with Polycaprolactone (PCL) for flexible packaging application. Polymer films of various compositions such as PBS-PCL, PHB-PCL, and PLA-PCL blends were fabricated by injection molding and hot pressing. The characterization analysis included analyzing polymer blends' tensile and water vapor barrier properties, as per ASTM D882-18 method and ASTM E96-16 method, respectively, following that biodegradation analysis in compost (ASTM D5338-15 method) and seawater medium (ASTM D6991-17 method) of the polymer blends, and analysis of PCL blends' effect. The research showed that compared to the pure polymer blends such as PBS, PHB, and PLA blends, polymer blends with 20% of PCL has increased tensile elongation by 26.3%, 68%, and 171%, respectively, and the water vapor barrier properties were increased by 28.3%, 26.8%, and 30.3%. the biodegradation rate in compost medium was increased by 21.9%, 6.4% and 21.2%, and the biodegradation rate in seawater medium was increased by 31%, 7.5%, and 16.6%, respectively, even though a slight decrease in tensile strength. In conclusion, the polymer blends with 20wt% of PCL provide overall improved of polymer properties.

Abstract: Nowadays, biodegradable polymers such as Polybutylene succinate (PBS), Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), and Polylactic acid (PLA) are widely used commercially, especially in flexible packaging applications, but these polymers have certain limitations in their properties. The main aim of this study was to develop biodegradable polymer films with improved performance characteristics. This paper focused on developing and enhancing the characterization such as tensile properties, water barrier properties, and biodegradation properties of PBS-PCL(Polycaprolactone), PHB-PCL, and PLA-PCL blends, with the addition of 5wt% of plasticizer [GTA (Triacetin/ glycerol triacetate), a monomeric plasticizer P1, Ultramoll, a polymeric plasticizer P2; and mixed plasticizer P3 (1: 1 mix of P1 and P2)] for flexible packaging application. The plasticized polymer films (thickness 0.25mm) was prepared by injection molding and hot pressing method, and analyze the characterization such as tensile properties (ASTM D882-18 method), water vapor barrier properties (ASTM E96-16 method), and the biodegradation properties in compost (ASTM D5338-15 method), and seawater (ASTM D6991-17 method) medium, and analysis the effect of plasticizers on plasticized polymer blends. The research shows that compared to polymers blends such as PBS, PHB, and PLA, with 20wt% of PCL, there was a significant increase in tensile elongation by 22%,76.6%, and 139.3%, respectively and an increase in biodegradability by 19.5%, 3.6%, and 38.9% in compost medium, and 22.1%, 1.8%, and 41.0% in seawater medium, respectively, with the addition of all three 5wt% plasticizers (Ultramoll), though the tensile strength and water vapor properties were decreased. The plasticizer study shows that plasticized polymer blends using mixed plasticizer (P3) provide the best overall performance enhancement.

Abstract: Magnesium alloys are suitable biological material because of its favourable mechanical qualities, high biocompatibility, and biodegradability. However, it has poor corrosion resistance and has rapid dissolution in the corrosive environment which will weakens its mechanical characteristics. The surface characteristics of magnesium alloy must thus be changed using a suitable surface modification technology, such as micro arc oxidation (MAO). This article examines recent developments and advancements in biodegradable surface coatings applied to magnesium alloys. It was observed there are four steps of MAO process, the formation of a thinner and denser barrier, commencement of oxides in bare Ca-Mg matrix following the presence of sparks; the horizontal expansion of the oxide layer, and finally thickening of MAO coating. It was observed that characteristics of MAO coating can changed by varying electrical parameters like duty cycle, current density, type of power output, frequency, and processing time. It was noticed that when all other factors are held constant, duty cycle, processing time, and frequency primarily effect the coating's porosity, number of cracks and thickness, which in turn influences how well the coating performs. DC, AC, pulsed bipolar, and pulsed unipolar, are the four categories into which the current regimes are classified. It was found that, unipolar current mode MAO coatings found to be rough, highly porous, and vulnerable to microcracks due to stronger spark discharge. MAO coating produced in a bipolar current type of mode have larger pores but are more uniform in thickness and compact. It was noticed that the in-vitro cell assays showed cells L929 on the Ca-P coated Mg alloy to have considerably good adhesion, a high growth rate, and strong proliferation (p 0.05). In other words, the cytocompatibility was greatly enhanced by the Ca-P coating. It was discovered that the Ca-P coated Mg alloy improved cell responsiveness and encouraged early bone formation at the implant/bone interface by both conventional pathological examination and immunohistochemistry investigation. The Ca-P coating was found to be an effective method for raising the surface bioactivity of Mg alloy. It was also observed that the calcium phosphate coating deposited by MAO process improve surface biomineralization which is the main mechanism behind bioactivity. Functional groups that are present on surface engage electrostatically through calcium and phosphate ions from solutions to start the biomineralization process. Calcium phosphates have excellent biocompatibility and are quite comparable to the mineral makeup of bone. The current study aims to investigate the bioactivity of calcium phosphate coatings and the characteristics of magnesium and its alloys.

Abstract: The article discusses the development of digital models of the physical and mechanical characteristics of biodegradable polymers. Based on previous studies of biopolymers, it was determined that the key physicochemical properties of biopolymers for consumers are elongation, tensile strength and weight loss in soil. Since the main characteristic that determines the biodegradation of a polymer is its weight loss in the soil, the authors proposed an approach to the development of a mathematical model of this process. To develop a mathematical model of weight loss in soil for different compositions of biopolymers, it is proposed to use the approximation of the corresponding functional dependencies. As a result of the calculations, it was revealed that the most accurate results of constructing a mathematical model of weight loss in soil for PE/NR compositions are provided by polynomials of 3-4 degrees (the obtained mathematical models are highly accurate, the determination coefficient is at least 0.95). For the practical application of the developed models of the characteristics of biopolymers, an algorithm was proposed for selecting a biopolymer with the properties required for the consumer. The use of this algorithm will allow potential consumers of biopolymers to select the most suitable composition for the production of final products from it, taking into account the required values of physical and mechanical characteristics, as well as the characteristics of biodegradation.

Abstract: Calcium phosphate is a natural biomineral and the major inorganic constituent of bones and teeth. Therefore, synthetic calcium phosphates that mimic the biogenic ones possess excellent biocompatibility as well as biodegradability and are promising materials for medicine. Due to their unique physiochemical properties, calcium phosphate nanoparticles (CaP NPs) are extensively exploited in nanomedicine as carriers of biomolecules, including peptides, proteins, and nucleic acids. In this regard, peptides are of particular interest as they are exceptionally selective and efficacious for the treatment of a broad range of diseases. Among various peptides for biomedical applications, cardio-specific peptides are particularly interesting since they represent a valuable alternative to conventional treatments. Moreover, they can contribute to overcome important clinical limitations, including drug resistance and non-specific biodistribution of traditional drug products. In this work, we have investigated the loading of a therapeutic mimetic peptide, which was previously shown to improve myocardial contraction and results in the restoration of cardiac function. Peptide-loaded CaP NPs were prepared by exploiting a biomineralization approach, by using a mineralizing solution containing Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and PO₄^3- ions. Several experimental conditions were tested by varying the reaction time, as well as the drug concentration. Colloidal stability, morphology, size, as well as drug loading were evaluated to identify the best candidate to be tested in vitro in the future.