ARS | Publication request: ANALYSIS OF THE MATERIAL PROPERTIES OF AGRICULTURALLY-DERIVED BIOPOLYMERS AND THEIR DEGRADATION IN CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENTS

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: June 15, 2004
Publication Date: July 15, 2004
Citation: Orts, W.J. Analysis of the material properties of agriculturally-derived biopolymers and their degradation in controlled environments. ANTEC 04 Society of Plastics Engineers National Meeting, Chicago, IL, May 15-19, 2004. 2427-2431.

Technical Abstract: Agriculturally-derived biopolymers such as starch, pectin and cellulose have been successfully incorporated into industrial composites because (1) they impart useful, desirable properties, (2) are derived from renewable resources obtained economically, and (3) may be designed to degrade predictably in controlled environments such as encountered in a modern composting facility. As will be discussed, data from NMR, rheometry, mechanical measurements, electron microscopy, FTIR, X-ray and neutron scattering, and thermal analysis were coupled with respirometry -- measurement of degradation of materials to basic products -- to determine optimal lifetimes of biopolymers.