Biodegradable polymer materials and modifying additives: state of the art. Part I

One of the most demanded materials on the planet is plastic, the excellent performance of which contributes to the accumulation of a significant amount of waste on its basis. In this regard, a new approach to the development of these materials has been formed in scientific circles: the production of polymer composites with constant performance characteristics for a certain period and then capable of destruction under the influence of environmental factors. Analysis of the current state of the industry of polymeric materials shows that the most urgent is the use of such classical polymers as polyolefins and polyvinyl chloride. First of all, the optimal solution to this problem due to the lack of a suitable replacement for traditional polymers is the development of composites based on them with the use of biodegradable additives. In this case, a set of problems associated with waste disposal is solved: the decomposition period of the recycled waste is significantly reduced, the territories required for plastic waste are reduced. The paper outlines the preconditions for the emergence and further development of the field of biodegradable polymers. The main quantitative characteristics of the production capacities of manufactured bioplastics by types, regions and industries of application are given. Modern methods of reducing and regulating the degradation time of polymer materials are presented. The main global and domestic manufacturers of biodegradable polymers and their products are listed, as well as a list of the main manufacturers of biodegradable additives for polymeric materials. Modern types of bioplastics based on renewable raw materials, composites with their use, as well as modified materials from natural and synthetic polymers are listed. The main methods for determining the biodegradability of existing bioplastics are described.