KTH Royal Institute of Technology, FibRe - Centre for Lignocellulose-based Thermoplastics, Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, Teknikringen 58, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden.
Biomacromolecules. 2022 Jul 11;23(7):2713-2729. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00336. Epub 2022 Jun 28.
Biodegradable polymers complement recyclable materials in battling plastic waste because some products are difficult to recycle and some will end up in the environment either because of their application or due to wear of the products. Natural biopolymers, such as cellulose, are inherently biodegradable, but chemical modification typically required for the obtainment of thermoplastic properties, solubility, or other desired material properties can hinder or even prevent the biodegradation process. This Review summarizes current knowledge on the degradation of common cellulose derivatives in different laboratory, natural, and man-made environments. Depending on the environment, the degradation can be solely biodegradation or a combination of several processes, such as chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis, photodegradation, and oxidation. It is clear that the type of modification and especially the degree of substitution are important factors controlling the degradation process of cellulose derivatives in combination with the degradation environment. The big variation of conditions in different environments is also briefly considered as well as the importance of the proper testing environment, characterization of the degradation process, and confirmation of biodegradability. To ensure full sustainability of the new cellulose derivatives under development, the expected end-of-life scenario, whether material recycling or "biological" recycling, should be included as an important design parameter.
可生物降解聚合物在应对塑料废物方面补充了可回收材料，因为有些产品难以回收，而且有些产品由于其应用或产品磨损最终会进入环境。天然生物聚合物，如纤维素，本身是可生物降解的，但为了获得热塑性、溶解性或其他所需的材料性能，通常需要进行化学修饰，这可能会阻碍甚至阻止生物降解过程。本综述总结了目前关于常见纤维素衍生物在不同实验室、自然和人为环境中降解的知识。根据环境的不同，降解可以是单纯的生物降解，也可以是几种过程的组合，如化学和酶水解、光降解和氧化。显然，修饰的类型，特别是取代度，是控制纤维素衍生物在结合降解环境时的降解过程的重要因素。不同环境中条件的巨大变化也被简要考虑，以及适当的测试环境、降解过程的表征和生物降解性的确认的重要性。为了确保正在开发的新型纤维素衍生物的完全可持续性，应将预期的使用寿命结束情景（无论是材料回收还是“生物”回收）作为一个重要的设计参数。
