(1) Background: Plastic contamination is on the rise, despite ongoing research focused on alternatives such as bioplastics. However, most bioplastics require specific conditions to biodegrade. A promising alternative involves using microorganisms isolated from landfill soils that have demonstrated the ability to degrade plastic materials. (2) Methods: Soil samples were collected, and bacteria were isolated, characterized, and molecularly identified. Their degradative capacity was evaluated using the zone of clearing method, while their qualitative and structural degradative activity was assessed in a liquid medium on poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) films prepared by the cast method. (3) Results: Three strains-Bacillus cereus CHU4R, Acinetobacter baumannii YUCAN, and Pseudomonas otitidis YUC44-were selected. These strains exhibited the ability to cause severe damage to the microscopic surface of the films, attack the ester bonds within the PBS structure, and degrade lower-weight PBS molecules during the process. (4) Conclusions: this study represents the first report of strains isolated in Yucat & aacute;n with plastic degradation activity. The microorganisms demonstrated the capacity to degrade PBS films by causing surface and structural damage at the molecular level. These findings suggest that the strains could be applied as an alternative in plastic biodegradation.

For maintenance and water saving reasons artificial or semi-artificial (hybrid) turfs have worldwide replaced natural turfs in many football-, soccer- and hockey stadiums. For obvious sustainability reasons the polymers which replace or reinforce the natural grass should be degradable, but still maintain specific mechanical properties over a certain period of time. This study intends to design and validate a poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) which fulfils these requirements. We investigated the dependency of PBS hydrolysis on molecular mass and temperature in order to develop a kinetic model for abiotic hydrolysis, which is the limiting step in PBS biodegradation. The hydrolysis rates were found to be temperature dependent according to the Arrhenius relationship k = A * exp(- EA R*T). A molecular mass dependency of the pre-exponential factor A was established and could befitted well by a linear equation without intercept for higher molecular weights. A polynomial approach led to a better fit for the whole molecular weight range. Both models have been validated on a degradation experiment in soil and were able to predict the molecular mass degradation within the typical standard deviations by size exclusion chromatography. Furthermore, we used the models to simulate the degradation of PBS samples in soil on available long-term soil temperature data. Previously published data on the relationship between molecular weight and mechanical properties were used to forecast the loss of functionality. This prediction was then compared to traction tests of aged PBS filaments used as fibre reinforcement of football hybrid turfs. The measurements match the predictions and show that a hybrid turf system with PBS fibres can be played on for at least 5.2 years before the fibres lose their mechanical properties.

In this research, we have successfully produced biodegradable composite filaments using Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and cocoa bean shell residues (CBS). These composite filaments, fabricated by incorporating up to 20 wt% of the natural filler into the PBS matrix through extrusion processing, have undergone rigorous rheological, mechanical, thermal, morphological, and soil disintegration characterizations. The results have unveiled the potential of printing biodegradable biocomposite filaments, with the materials demonstrating thermal stability in the printing process temperature range. However, a reduction in thermal stability was observed with the incorporation of the natural filler. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses indicated a small crystallinity variation for the composites concerning the pure PBS matrix. Furthermore, incorporating the natural filler improved the disintegration rate in the composites' soil, suggesting that CBS can increase and modulate the biodegradation rate of the PBS matrix, thereby expanding its applications in sustainable packaging, 3D printed parts for consumer goods, and agriculture.Highlights Sustainable innovation by using PBS-CBS filaments for eco-conscious production. CBS boosts biodegradation and soil disintegration. Shaping a greener future with eco-friendly 3D printing of PBS-CBS biocomposites. Methodology for fabricating filaments with multiple processing cycles and their characterization. image

Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS)-based nanocomposites, reinforced and toughened with ZnO-coated multi-walled carbon nano-tubes (MWCNT-ZnO), demonstrate significantly enhanced properties, making them ideal for potential applied in food packaging applications. This study explores the effects of varying proportions of MWCNT-ZnO on the overall characteristics of these composites. The addition of 0.1 parts per hundred (phr) MWCNT-ZnO optimizes the nanocomposites' mechanical properties, crystallinity, melting temperature, thermal stability, and barrier performance. Specifically, the composite exhibits a 22% increase in tensile strength, a 28.4% rise in yield strength, and a remarkable 95.7% enhancement in the material's elongation at break, compared to the pure PBS matrix. Moreover, these nanocomposites exhibit excellent antibacterial properties, crucial for food preservation and safety. The soil burial test indicates that, except for the addition of 0.1phr which is lower than pure PBS, the biodegradation rate increases with the increasing addition of MWCNT-ZnO. This further suggests that a low nanoparticle filler content can enhance structural compactness, thereby improving the mechanical stability. The study also reveals notable preservation benefits for vegetables. When used for beef packaging, this composite material successfully extends the meat's freshness period, substantially curtails bacterial proliferation, and ensures the beef remains within safe consumption parameters. The combination of enhanced mechanical, thermal, barrier, and antibacterial properties makes PBS/MWCNT-ZnO nanocomposites promising candidates for sustainable and efficient food packaging materials.

Biodegradable Poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) composites with natural polymers have been widely developed, the compatibility of PBS and natural polymers is often the first consideration in terms of performance. In this work, PBS/silk sericin composite monofilaments (content of silk sericin is 6 wt%) with gamma -methacryloxypropyl- trimethoxysilane (KH570) as the coupling agent were fabricated by reactive melt -mixing, spinning, and stretching. The effect of KH570 content (1 - 3 wt%) on the morphology, mechanical property and biodegradation was studied. The reaction between the hydroxyl groups of silk sericin and -Si-OH of KH570 was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The cross- morphology of the monofilaments obtained from SEM and EDS images indicates that the dispersion of silk sericin is improved with the increase of KH570 content. Compared with unmodified composite monofilaments, the composite monofilament with 2 wt% KH 570 shows the best mechanical performance (102% and 80% improvement in tensile strength and elongation at break respectively). The incorporation of silk sericin, which possesses skin -friendly properties, imparts composite monofilaments with advantages in the fields of clothing, headgear, shoe uppers and other related applications. Otherwise, the silk sericin can enhance the biodegradability velocity of PBS/silk sericin composite monofilaments. And the weight loss of the composite monofilaments buried in soil can be adjusted by the synergistic effect of silk sericin and KH570.

With the increasing demand for environmentally friendly and sustainable materials, research on cellulose/bio-based polyester composites has received increasing attention. However, the hydrophilicity of cellulose remains a major factor in its poor interaction with hydrophobic bio-based polyester. To prepare microcrystalline cellulose (MCC)/poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) composite monofilaments with high cellulose content to suppress the deformation of PBS, hexadecyltrimethoxysilane (KH1631) was selected for surface silylation of MCC at a mass ratio of 1:0.5 based on the principle of polarity similarity. The physical-chemical double crosslinking of KH1631 with MCC enhanced the interfacial bonding between MCC and PBS, so composite monofilaments with modified MCC (named mMCC) contents up to 35 wt% were prepared by melt spinning. After thermal stretching, mMCC/PBS composite monofilaments exhibited uniformly distributed microporous structure and double yield behaviors. Despite the continuous decrease in breaking strength (from 210 to 84 MPa) and elastic modulus (from 1380 to 590 MPa) due to the addition of mMCC, the yield strength (116 MPa) of the mMCC/PBS composite monofilaments was consistent with that of PBS when the mMCC addition reached 25 wt%, indicating no impact on usage intensity. Moreover, mMCC/PBS composite monofilaments showed excellent tensile elasticity (up to 95%), excellent fatigue resistance, and low residual strains under small deformation (15%). Notably, the addition of 15-35 wt% mMCC increased the degradability of composite monofilaments, the degradation rate following 100 days of treatment in an aqueous environment ranged from 3.8%(PBS) to 4.7% (P-mM25), and the degradation rate following 180 days of burial in soil ranged from 3.9%(PBS) to 12.3% (P-mM35). Overall, our work significantly enhanced the compatibility between MCC and PBS without the use of any high-cost modifiers or complex processing methods, and successfully developed mMCC/PBS composite monofilaments that exhibit excellent dimensional stability during use and quick degradation after disposal.