Abstract:
Formed products such as foams, fabrics for industrial materials, filaments, nonwoven fabrics, composite materials and films which are degradable after use with ease in the natural environment are prepared by using a high molecular weight aliphatic polyester obtained by direct polycondensation of an aliphatic polyhydric alcohol with aliphatic polybasic acid or additionally hydroxycarboxylic acid or oligomers of these materials in a reaction mixture containing a solvent. Foams have excellent thermal insulation and strength; fabrics are excellent in thermal insulation, strength and elongation and can be used for industrial materials; filaments have sufficient strength, flexibility and degradability in a living body and can be used for bioabsorbable surgical filament and fishing lines; nonwoven fabrics can be obtained by bonding a web of filaments and have excellent strength and feeling; composite materials can be prepared by adhering or impregnating fiber, paper, film and others of cellulosics and have excellent strength and water resistance, good flexibility and folding resistance, simultaneously have degradability in the natural environment, and can dissolve polymer films on the surface with ease under alkaline conditions to recover cellulosics alone; and films are excellent in heat resistance and strength.
Abstract:
The composition comprising a cellulose ester including at least 10 weight % of a low-substituted cellulose ester having an average degree of substitu- tion not exceeding 2.15 and giving a 4-week decomposition rate of at least 60 weight % as determined using the amount of evolution of carbon dioxide as an indicator in accordance with ASTM 125209-91. The composition may contains a plasticizer, an aliphatic polyester, a photolysis accelerator such as anatase type titanium dioxide or a biodegradation accelerator such as organic acids and their esters. The low-substituted cellulose ester may be a cellulose ester having an average degree of polymerization from 50 to 250, an average degree of substitution from 1.0 to 2.15 and a residual alkali metal/alkaline earth metal-to-residual sulfuric acid equivalent ratio of 0.1 to 1.1. The biodegradable cellulose ester composition is suitable for the manufacture of various articles including fibrous articles such as tobacco filters.
Abstract:
A method of producing a composition which is composed of from 5 to 50 wt. % of caoutchouc, preferably natural caoutchouc; from 4 to 25 wt. % of starch powder; from 10 to 50 wt. % of one of polybetahydroxybutyrate or cellulose; and from 0 to 15 wt. % of auxiliary agent, and which is biodegradable includes providing caoutchouc in one of flaked or granular form; providing initial materials selected from the group consisting of starch, polybetahydroxybutyrate, cellulose, and auxiliary agent, in ground form as one of a powder or granulated; homogeneously mixing the initial materials into the caoutchouc to provide a homogeneous mixture: plasticizing the homogeneous mixture by heating in one of a screw-type extruder or injection molding machine to provide a plasticized mass; and ejecting the plasticized mass from the extruder or injection-molding machine and allowing the mass to cool. Preferably, plasticizing is carried out of a temperature ranging from 170.degree. C. to 180.degree. C.
Abstract:
Disclosed is biodegradable compositions comprising a biodegradable resin and starch, wherein fat or oil treated starch or its gelatinized product is utilized as the starch and thereby its production cost and biodegradability is improved without losing its mechanical properties. Biodegradable compositions comprising a gelatinized product of fat or oil treated starch and a biodegradable resin. A process for the production of the biodegradable composition comprising a gelatinized fat or oil treated starch and a biodegradable resin described above, which comprises heating and kneading fat or oil treated starch and a biodegradable resin in the presence of water or water and a plasticizer.
Abstract:
A selectively-permeable membrane constituted by a composition comprising starch and a synthetic thermoplastic polymer is used for separating liquid aqueous-organic mixtures by pervaporation.
Abstract:
A method for continuous preparation of a starch-based biodegradable polymer. A homogeneous mixture of starch, an ethylene acrylic acid co-polymer, and a salt of stearic acid are premixed before addition of an aqueous lubricant material. An increase in temperature gelatinizes the starch and melts the co-polymer. Excess moisture is removed under reduced pressure and a plastic material is extruded.
Abstract:
A degradable polymer composition essentially consisting of a mixture of a thermoplastic polymer composition primarily comprising polylactic acid or lactic acid-hydroxycarboxylic acid copolymer and one or more substance selected from starch and modified starch, and is a degradable polymer which does not cause problems such as environmental pollution and can be used for films, filaments and packaging materials, food packaging materials in particular.
Abstract:
There is provided a biodegradable composition as obtained from a melt comprising converted starch, a plasticizer and at least one member selected from alkenol homopolymers and/or alkenol copolymers which are combined under conditions sufficient to ensure uniform melt formation, in which the at least one member is present in the composition at a concentration of from 10 to 200 parts per 100 parts of dry converted starch.The invention further relates to methods of making the composition, and to articles made from said composition.
Abstract:
A biodegradable plastic added at an amount of a hydrophilic property imparting-substance providing wettability such that the contact angle of plastic surface to water is 70.degree. or less whereby the decomposability thereof with Basidiomycetes, the cultured products thereof and/or the processed products thereof is improved. A method for decomposing plastic under the conditions with limitation to nitrogen and/or carbon in decomposing such biodegradable plastic. In accordance with the present invention, the plastic which has conventionally been decomposed with difficulty can be decomposed efficiently.
Abstract:
Process for controlling the photodegradation of a film of polypropylene or propylene copolymers having a thickness of about 1.25 mils or less, by forming a composition comprising carbon black as the sole UV light absorbing staiblizer and comprising about 0.5% to about 2.4% by weight of the film, hindered amine light stabilizer for interrupting the free radical chain degradation mechanism and comprising about 0.02% to about 0.4% by weight of the film; and an impact modifier for enhancing the photodegradability of the film and comprising about 1% to 40% by weight of the film.