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The need for utilization of environmentally friendly materials has emerged due to environmental pollution that is caused by non-biodegradable materials. The usage of non-biodegradable plastics has increased in the past decades in many industries, and, as a result, the generation of non-biodegradable plastic wastes has also increased. To solve the problem of non-biodegradable plastic wastes, there is need for fabrication of bio-based polymers to replace petroleum-based polymers and provide strategic plans to reduce the production cost of bioplastics. One of the emerging bioplastics in the market is poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) and it has been the biopolymer of choice due to its biodegradability and environmental friendliness. However, there are some disadvantages associated with PBS such as high cost, low gas barrier properties, and softness. To lower the cost of PBS and enhance its properties, natural lignocellulosic fibers are incorporated into the PBS matrix, to form environmentally friendly composites. Natural fiber-based biocomposites have emerged as materials of interest in important industries such as packaging, automobile, and construction. The bonding between the PBS and natural fibers is weak, which is a major problem for advanced applications of this system. As a result, this review paper discusses various methods that are employed for surface modification of the Fibers The paper provides an in-depth discussion on the preparation, modification, and morphology of the natural fiber-reinforced polybutylene succinate biocomposites. Furthermore, because the preparation as well as the modification of the fiber-reinforced biocomposites have an influence on the mechanical properties of the biocomposites, mechanical properties of the biocomposites are also discussed. The applications of the natural fiber/PBS biocomposites for different systems are also reported.

Biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) has been widely used in fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing. In order to improve its comprehensive properties in 3D printing, in this study, 0-40% content of polybutylene adipate terephthalate(PBAT) was selected to be blended with PLA in a twin-screw extruder; the resulting pellets were drawn into a homogeneous filament; then, PBAT/PLA samples were prepared by FDM 3D printing, and the effects of the dosage of PBAT on the mechanical properties, thermal behavior, surface wettability and melt flowability of the samples were investigated. The results showed that all the samples could be printed smoothly, and the ductility was slightly improved by the increase in the PBAT dosage; the thermal stability of PLA was enhanced by blending with PBAT, and the crystallinity increased monotonically with the increase in PBAT. After blending with PBAT, the surfaces of the samples were more hydrophilic and flowable. The important conclusion achieved in this work was that the PBAT/PLA blends, especially those containing 30%PBAT, showed great potential to replace petroleum-based plastics and are suitable for use in FDM 3D printing technologies for different applications.

The widespread use of conventional plastics in various industries has resulted in increased oil consumption and environmental pollution. To address these issues, a combination of plastic recycling and the use of biodegradable plastics is essential. Among biodegradable polymers, poly butylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) has attracted significant attention due to its favorable mechanical properties and biodegradability. In this study, we investigated the potential of using PBAT for direct pellet printing, eliminating the need for filament conversion. To determine the optimal printing temperature, three sets of tensile specimens were 3D-printed at varying nozzle temperatures, and their mechanical properties and microstructure were analyzed. Additionally, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) was conducted to evaluate the thermal behavior of the printed PBAT. Furthermore, we designed and printed two structures with different infill percentages (40% and 60%) to assess their compressive strength and energy absorption properties. DMTA revealed that PBAT’s glass–rubber transition temperature is approximately −25 °C. Our findings demonstrate that increasing the nozzle temperature enhances the mechanical properties of PBAT. Notably, the highest nozzle temperature of 200 °C yielded remarkable results, with an elongation of 1379% and a tensile strength of 7.5 MPa. Moreover, specimens with a 60% infill density exhibited superior compressive strength (1338 KPa) and energy absorption compared with those with 40% infill density (1306 KPa). The SEM images showed that with an increase in the nozzle temperature, the quality of the print was greatly improved, and it was difficult to find microholes or even a layered structure for the sample printed at 200 °C.

Polybutylene succinate (PBS) stands out as a promising biodegradable polymer, drawing attention for its potential as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastics due to its biodegradability and reduced environmental impact. In this study, we aimed to enhance PBS degradation by examining artificial consortia composed of bacterial strains. Specifically, Terribacillus sp. JY49, Bacillus sp. JY35, and Bacillus sp. NR4 were assessed for their capabilities and synergistic effects in PBS degradation. When only two types of strains, Bacillus sp. JY35 and Bacillus sp. NR4, were co-cultured as a consortium, a notable increase in degradation activity toward PBS was observed compared to their activities alone. The consortium of Bacillus sp. JY35 and Bacillus sp. NR4 demonstrated a remarkable degradation yield of 76.5% in PBS after 10 days. The degradation of PBS by the consortium was validated and our findings underscore the potential for enhancing PBS degradation and the possibility of fast degradation by forming artificial consortia, leveraging the synergy between strains with limited PBS degradation activity. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that utilizing only two types of strains in the consortium facilitates easy control and provides reproducible results. This approach mitigates the risk of losing activity and reproducibility issues often associated with natural consortia.

Biodegradable plastics applied to soil stimulate the production of greenhouse gases and inhibit plant growth under aerobic conditions. This study aimed to examine the effects of biodegradable plastics on paddy rice growth and greenhouse gas emission under flooding conditions in pot experiments and also on greenhouse gas production under flooding conditions in an incubation experiment. Two series of pot experiments were conducted with rice (Oryza sativa). First series as immediate flooded and 2nd series as 2 weeks nonflooding before flooded, and both kept flooded until harvest. The following four kinds of materials were added to the sandy paddy soil, (1) nonwoven fabric sheets made of polylactic acid and polybutylene-succinate, (2) laminate sheets made of polybutylene adipate terephthalate and pulp, (3) cellulose filter paper, and (4) rice straw. Only soil was used as control. Methane (CH4) emission, measured by chamber method followed by gas chromatography, was significantly larger only in the cellulose treatment than the laminate treatment in the immediate flooded series, indicating that biodegradable plastics had no significant impact on CH4 emission from paddy rice soil. Rice growth and yield did not show significant difference among treatments in both series. Incubation experiment showed the largest CH4 production in cellulose-amended soil, followed by straw-amended and laminate amended soils, and least in fabric-amended soil, while CO2 did not show significant differences among treatments. We need further examination with different biodegradable plastics for a longer period that test used in this study.

Researchers and companies have increasingly been drawn to biodegradable polymers and composites because of their environmental resilience, eco-friendliness, and suitability for a range of applications. For various uses, biodegradable fabrics use biodegradable polymers or natural fibers as reinforcement. Many approaches have been taken to achieve better compatibility for tailored and improved material properties. In this article, PBS (polybutylene succinate) was chosen as the main topic due to its excellent properties and intensive interest among industrial and researchers. PBS is an environmentally safe biopolymer that has some special properties, such as good clarity and processability, a shiny look, and flexibility, but it also has some drawbacks, such as brittleness. PBS-based natural fiber composites are completely biodegradable and have strong physical properties. Several research studies on PBS-based composites have been published, including physical, mechanical, and thermal assessments of the properties and its ability to replace petroleum-based materials, but no systematic analysis of up-to-date research evidence is currently available in the literature. The aim of this analysis is to highlight recent developments in PBS research and production, as well as its natural fiber composites. The current research efforts focus on the synthesis, copolymers and biodegradability for its properties, trends, challenges and prospects in the field of PBS and its composites also reviewed in this paper.

The globe is facing the ever-increasing challenge of plastic pollution due to the single-use of plastic-based packaging material. The plastic material is being continuously dumped into the natural environment which causes serious harm to the entire ecosystem. Polymer degradation in nature is very difficult, so the use of biodegradable polymers instead of conventional polymers can mitigate this issue. In recent years, keeping plastic hazards in mind the production and implication of biodegradable plastics have significantly increased. This review focus on the use of poly (butylene adipate terephthalate) (PBAT), which is one of the most prospective and prevalent biodegradable polymers instead of non-biodegradable polymers. PBAT can be degraded by biological (actinomycetes, bacteria, fungus, and physical agents (biochemical processes) in aerobic as well as anaerobic environments defined by ASTM standards. Due to the advancement in molecular biology, many studies have reported specific microbes that can effectively degrade PBAT. Aliphatic polyesters undergo hydrolytic cleavage of ester groups, so they can be easily degraded by microorganisms. Microorganisms utilize polymer as their nutrient source, using this approach microorganisms can be isolated. Due to the good mechanical properties and biodegradability, aliphatic–aromatic polymers are being widely commercialized. Feed ratios and curing conditions of monomers are very important for controlling mechanical properties, degradation rates, crystallinity, hydrophilicity, and biocompatibility of polymers. By considering published and current studies, we focused on synthesis, biodegradation mechanism, factors affecting the rate of biodegradation, application of biodegradable polymers especially emphasizing the synthesis, mechanical properties degradation mechanism of PBAT (Polybutylene adipate terephthalate) (biodegradable polymer). Graphical abstract

The current work is driven by applying circular principles, and it investigated the potential recyclability of polybutylene succinate (PBS) containing brewer’s spent grain filler (BSGF, 30 wt%) in comparison to the recyclability of pure PBS. PBS is much more stable than the PBS/BSGF composite during processing cycles. Typically, thermomechanical degradation induces radical formation and branching of the macromolecular chain in PBS. Furthermore, PBS becomes less hydrophilic (by 53%, reaching 84°, approaching the 90° threshold), and its surface roughness increases by about 38% after five processing cycles. BSGF increases the viscosity of the melt, especially at low frequencies, and stabilizes the melt in the PBS/BSGF, which has lower torque variations during processing compared to pure PBS. Furthermore, BSGF in r-PBS/BSGF increases both hydrophilicity (by about 15%, from 75° to 64°) and surface roughness (by about 17%) after five processing cycles of the solid bio-composite and limits the formation of carboxylic groups during thermomechanical degradation. PBS is recyclable five times because it maintains its properties unchanged during extrusion cycles. At least two reprocessing steps are required for PBS/BSGF to obtain an optimal dispersion of BSGF, which can be re-extruded approximately three times. PBS/BSGF after four and five extrusion steps shows increased rigidity (Et PBS/BSGF > Et PBS) and reduced ductility (εb PBS/BSGF < εbt PBS), which could limit the recyclability of the PBS-based composite.

This research aimed to prepare nonwovens from polylactic acid and polybutylene succinate using the melt-blown process while varying the melt-blown process parameters, including air pressure (0.2 and 0.4 MPa) and die-to-collector distance (15, 30, and 45 cm). Increasing the air pressure and die-to-collector distance resulted in the production of smaller fibers. Simultaneously, the tensile strength was dependent on the polymer, air pressure, and die-to-collector distance used, and the percentage elongation at the break tended to increase with an increasing die-to-collector distance. Regarding thermal properties, the PBS nonwovens exhibited an increased level of crystallinity when the die-to-collector distance was raised, consistent with the degree of crystallinity obtained from X-ray diffraction analysis. Polylactic acid could be successfully processed into nonwovens under all six investigated conditions, whereas nonwoven polybutylene succinate could not be formed at a die-to-collector distance of 15 cm. However, both polymers demonstrated the feasibility of being processed into nonwovens using the melt-blown technique, showing potential for applications in the textile industry.

The production of bio-based composites with enhanced characteristics constitutes a strategic action to minimize the use of fossil fuel resources. The mechanical performances of these materials are related to the specific properties of their components, as well as to the quality of the interface between the matrix and the fibers. In a previous research study, it was shown that the polarity of the matrix played a key role in the mechanisms of fiber breakage during processing, as well as on the final properties of the composite. However, some key questions remained unanswered, and new investigations were necessary to improve the knowledge of the interactions between a lignocellulosic material and a polar matrix. In this work, for the first time, atomic force microscopy based on force spectroscopy measurements was carried out using functionalized tips to characterize the intermolecular interactions at the single molecule level, taking place between poly(butylene succinate) and four different plant fibers. The efficiency of the tip functionalization was checked out by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, whereas the fibers chemistry was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Larger interactions at the nanoscale level were found between the matrix and hypolignified fibers compared to lignified ones, as in control experiments on single lignocellulosic polymer films. These results could significantly aid in the design of the most appropriate composite composition depending on its final use.