In this work, poly(L-lactic acid)/thermoplastic alginate (PLA/TPA) biocomposites were prepared through a melt blending method. The TPA was initially prepared using glycerol as a plasticizer. The effects of TPA content on the interactions between blend components, thermal properties, phase morphology, mechanical properties, hydrophilicity, and biodegradation properties of biocomposites were systematically investigated. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis corroborated the interaction between the blend components. The addition of TPA enhanced the nucleating effect for PLA, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed poor phase compatibility between the PLA and TPA phases. The thermal stability and mechanical properties of the biocomposites decreased with the addition of TPA, as demonstrated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and tensile tests, respectively. The hydrophilicity and soil burial degradation rate of biocomposites increased significantly as the TPA content increased. These results indicated that PLA/TPA biocomposites degraded faster than pure PLA, making them suitable for single-use packaging, but this necessitates careful optimization of TPA content to balance mechanical properties and soil burial degradation rate for practical single-use applications.

Jarosite is an inorganic byproduct waste produced during the purification and refining of zinc in the industry. Recycling such waste as a filler in biocomposites could be a sustainable solution to manage it. To create jute-jarosite-soy biocomposites, varying weight percentages of jarosite are combined with soy resin and applied to woven jute cloth. The impact of jarosite on the mechanical characteristics, hardness, fire retardant, thermal stability, hydrophobicity, and degrading nature of jute-soy composites was investigated, and it was discovered that its presence by a part of 3 weight percentage enhanced tensile strength by 37.2% and flexural strength by 34.7%, respectively. The hardness and thermal stability of jute-jarosite-soy composites are enhanced by 17.5% and 35.8%, respectively, over jute-soy composites. After 60 days, soil burial analyses of these composites revealed more than 70% weight loss. Due to its moderate strength and entirely biodegradable nature, manufactured jute-jarosite-soy composite can be used to replace non-degradable thermoplastic usage in several sectors.

The increasing environmental concerns regarding plastic waste, especially in agriculture, have driven the search for sustainable alternatives. Agricultural plastics, such as mulching films and greenhouse covers, are heavily reliant on petrochemical-derived materials, which persist in the environment and contribute to long-term pollution. This study explores the use of biodegradable biocomposites made from steam explosion-treated chicken feathers and various polymer matrices to address these issues. Chicken feathers, a waste by-product of the poultry industry, present an excellent biodegradability as a result of the steam explosion treatment and contain nitrogen, potentially enhancing soil fertility. The biocomposites were characterized by thermal stability, mechanical properties, and biodegradability, and ecotoxicity assessments were carried out studying the incorporation of feathers into the soil. Results showed that the incorporation of treated chicken feathers increased the water absorption capacity of the composites, promoting faster disintegration and biodegradation. In particular, biocomposites made with polyhydroxyalkanoates and Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) exhibited a significant increase in degradation rates, from 3-10% in the first month for pure matrices to 40-50% when reinforced with treated feathers. Meanwhile, those made from polylactic acid showed slower degradation. Furthermore, the addition of feathers positively influenced crop growth at low concentrations, acting as a slow-release fertilizer. However, high concentrations of feathers negatively affect plant growth due to excess nitrogen. These findings highlight the potential of poultry feathers as a valuable, sustainable filler for agricultural bioplastics, contributing to waste valorization and environmentally friendly farming practices.

The extensive use of non-biodegradable and petroleum derived polymers in industry exacerbates environmental problems associated with plastic waste accumulation and fossil resource depletion. The most promising solution to overcome this issue is the replacement of these polymers with biodegradable and bio-based polymers. In this paper, novel biocomposites were prepared from bio-based polyamide 5.6 (PA56) with the addition of olive stone powder (OSP) at varying weight concentrations by melt compounding method. The degradability of the prepared biocomposites is investigated through soil burial test, and assessed by reduction in their mechanical properties. The biodegradability of bio-based polyamide 5.6 is shown to be improved by addition of olive stone powder, and its effects on the properties of polymer matrix are elucidated. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum of the biocomposites indicate the successful incorporation of OSP into PA56 polymer matrix. After six-month soil burial test, scanning electron microscopy and FTIR show the degradation of PA56 through morphological and structural changes, respectively. Differential scanning calorimetry reveals the changes in the transition temperatures of the polymer matrix and an increase in crystallinity. Thermogravimetric analysis is used on the biocomposite to determine the fraction of its components, polymer and biofiller, and the results show that 2.67% (w/w) of the polyamide 5.6 is biodegraded at the end of the six-month soil burial.

The potential of Hylocereus polyrhizus peel (HPP) as a new eco-friendly reinforcement for thermoplastic sago starch/agar composite (TPSS/agar) was investigated. The integration of HPP into TPSS/agar composite aimed to enhance its mechanical and thermal characteristics. The study employed Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), as well as mechanical, physical properties and soil burial testing to analyse the composites. The results showed a favourable miscibility between the matrix and filler, while at higher concentrations of HPP, the starch granules became more visible. The tensile and impact properties of the composites improved significantly after incorporating HPP at 20 wt%, with values of 12.73 MPa and 1.87 kJ/m2, respectively. The glass transition temperature (Tg) and initial decomposition temperature (Ton) decreased with the addition of HPP. The density of the composites reduced from 1.51 +/- 0.01 to 1.26 +/- 0.01 g/cm3 as the HPP amount increased. The environmental properties indicated that the composites can be composted, with weight loss accelerating from 35 to 60 % and 61 to 91 % by the addition of HPP in 2- and 4-weeks' time, respectively. The study demonstrates the potential of TPSS/agar/HPP composites as eco-friendly materials for various applications.

This work explored whether partial cellulose bioconversion with fungal mycelium can improve the properties of cellulose fibre-based materials. We demonstrate an efficient approach for producing cellulose-mycelium composites utilizing several cellulosic matrices and show that these materials can match fossil-derived polymeric foams on water contact angle, compression strength, thermal conductivity, and exhibit selective antimicrobial properties. Fossil-based polymeric foams commonly used for these applications are highly carbon positive, persist in soils and water, and are challenging to recycle. Bio-based alternatives to synthetic polymers could reduce GHG emissions, store carbon, and decrease plastic pollution. We explored several fungal species for the biofabrication of three kinds of cellulosic-mycelium composites and characterized the resulting materials for density, microstructure, compression strength, thermal conductivity, water contact angle, and antimicrobial properties. Foamed mycelium-cellulose samples had low densities (0.058 - 0.077 g/cm3), low thermal conductivity (0.03 - 0.06 W/m center dot K at + 10 degrees C), and high water contact angle (118 - 140 degrees). The recovery from compression of all samples was not affected by the mycelium addition and varied between 70 and 85%. In addition, an antiviral property against active MS-2 viruses was observed. These findings show that the biofabrication process using mycelium can provide water repellency and antiviral properties to cellulose foam materials while retaining their low density and good thermal insulation properties.

In this work, polylactide (PLA) was loaded with wood flour (WF) or hazelnut shells (HSs) (10% and 20% of fillers). The matrix and biocomposites were fully characterized from a mechanical and rheological point of view to test their processability and mechanical performance. Compost burial degradation test (30 days), with or without a prior photo-oxidation step, assessed their biodegradability after an outdoor application, and was monitored by weight loss (WL). The viscosity of the biocomposites was lower than that of the matrix and this unusual result can be attributed to a limited adhesion between the PLA and fillers. Both fillers increased the elastic modulus but decreased the tensile strength and elongation at break. As for the weathering, the degradation of PLA was mostly due to hydrolytic chain scission due to the presence of humidity. Resistance of PLA to UV irradiation improved in presence of both the two fillers. Their lignocellulosic nature was responsible for this behavior. Both fillers induced a high resistance and lower degradation in compost: WL percentages of virgin PLA was about 26%, biocomposites with 20% of WF or HS showed WL of about 10% and 14%, respectively. Photo-oxidation (36 h with condensation cycle) increased the compost degradation rate of both biocomposites and WL of PLA with 20% of WF or HS were about 15% and 21%, respectively, after 30 days.Highlights Poor adhesion between the matrix and fillers reduced the biocomposites viscosity. Fillers increased the elastic modulus but decreased the properties at break. Both fillers improved the resistance of PLA to UV irradiation. Biocomposites showed a lower susceptibility to compost degradation than PLA. Photo-oxidation increased the compost degradation rate of biocomposites. A biocomposites studying from the cradle to the grave. image

Fungi adapt to their surroundings, modifying their behaviors and composition under different conditions like nutrient availability and environmental stress. This perspective examines how a basic understanding of fungal genetics and the different ways that fungi can be influenced by their surroundings can be leveraged toward the production of functional mycelium materials. Simply put, within the constraints of a given genetic script, both the quality and quantity of fungal mycelium are shaped by what they eat and where they grow. These two levers, encompassing their global growth environment, can be turned toward different materials outcomes. The final properties of myco-materials are thus intimately shaped by the conditions of their growth, enabling the design of new biobased and biodegradable material constructions for applications that have traditionally relied on petroleum-based chemicals.This perspective highlights aspects of fungal genetics and environmental adaptation that have potential materials science implications, along the way touching on key studies, both to situate the state of the art within the field and to punctuate the viewpoints of the authors. Finally, this work ends with future perspectives, reinforcing key topics deemed important to consider in emerging myco-materials research. This perspective aims to critically explore the different levers that can be turned to obtain functional and reliable myco-materials engineered from fungi. These levers include fungal species, encompassing their specific set of genetic information, as well as global environmental cues, encompassing aspects of nutrition, that can be used to coax end material properties toward a desired outcome via fungal adaptation.image