Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters01:20

Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters

2.4K
The introduction of polyesters has brought major development to the textile industry. The wrinkle-free behavior of polyester blends has eliminated the need for starching and ironing clothes.
Polyesters are commonly prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol; the crude product is known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PET. However, polyesters are synthesized industrially by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at 150 °C. The two reactants and the polymer...
2.4K
Polymer Classification: Architecture01:14

Polymer Classification: Architecture

3.4K
Polymers are classified as linear or branched on the basis of their chain architecture. The polymer chains in linear polymers have a long chain-like structure with minimal to no branching at all. Even if a polymer features large substituent groups on the monomer, which appear as branches to the skeleton, it is not considered a branched polymer. A branched polymer contains secondary polymer chains that arise from the main polymer chain. The branching occurs when the polymer growth shifts from...
3.4K
Plasticizers01:31

Plasticizers

159
Water-reducers, or plasticizers, are chemical admixtures used in concrete to improve strength and workability. These additives reduce the water-cement ratio without compromising workability, lower the cement content while maintaining the same workability, or increase workability to assist concrete placement in inaccessible areas.
Plasticizers function by using surface-active agents to create repulsive electrostatic forces between cement particles. This dispersion enhances the concrete's...
159
Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity01:26

Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity

2.9K
Polymerization generates chiral centers along the entire backbone of a polymer chain. Accordingly, the stereochemistry of the substituent group has a significant effect on polymer properties. Polymers formed from monosubstituted alkene monomers feature chiral carbons at every alternate position in the polymer backbone. Relative to the predominant orientation of substituents at the adjacent chiral carbons, the polymer can exist in three different configurations: isotactic, syndiotactic, and...
2.9K
Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:03

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

3.9K
Step-growth or condensation polymerization is a stepwise reaction of bi or multifunctional monomers to form long-chain polymers. As all the monomers are reactive, most of the monomers are consumed at the early stages of the reaction to form small chains of reactive oligomers, which then combine to form long polymer chains in the late stages. Hence, the reaction has to proceed for a long time to achieve high molecular weight polymers.
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...
3.9K
Bioremediation00:46

Bioremediation

21.5K
Bioremediation is the use of prokaryotes, fungi, or plants to remove pollutants from the environment. This process has been used to remove harmful toxins in groundwater as a byproduct of agricultural run-off and also to clean up oil spills.
21.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Effect of Multiple Mechanical Recycling Cycles on the Structure and Properties of PHBV Biocomposites Filled with Spent Coffee Grounds (SCG).

Materials (Basel, Switzerland)·2025
Same author

Application of Chitosan and Boehmite as Ecological Fire Retardants in PVC Compositions-Preparation and Thermal Study.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)·2025
Same author

Effect of Coffee Grounds Content on Properties of PHBV Biocomposites Compared to Similar Composites with Other Fillers.

Polymers·2025
Same author

Influence of the Type of Soft Segment on the Selected Properties of Polyurethane Materials for Biomedical Applications.

Materials (Basel, Switzerland)·2024
Same author

Study on the Biodegradation of Poly(Butylene Succinate)/Wheat Bran Biocomposites.

Materials (Basel, Switzerland)·2023
Same author

Luminescent Hybrid BPA.DA-NVP@Eu<sub>2</sub>L<sub>3</sub> Materials: In Situ Synthesis, Spectroscopic, Thermal, and Mechanical Characterization.

Materials (Basel, Switzerland)·2023

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 3, 2025

Isolation of Native Soil Microorganisms with Potential for Breaking Down Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films Used in Agriculture
13:38

Isolation of Native Soil Microorganisms with Potential for Breaking Down Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films Used in Agriculture

Published on: May 10, 2013

31.0K

Modern Biodegradable Plastics-Processing and Properties Part II.

Janusz W Sikora1, Łukasz Majewski1, Andrzej Puszka2

  • 1Department of Technology and Polymer Processing, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Lublin University of Technology, Nadbystrzycka 36, 20-618 Lublin, Poland.

Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 2, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Biodegradable plastics like starch-based plastics and polylactic acid show mechanical strength comparable or superior to polyethylene. These eco-friendly alternatives may compete in specific film blowing applications.

Keywords:
barrier propertiesblown filmmechanical propertiesoptical propertiespolyethylenepolylactideprocessing of plasticsstarch

More Related Videos

Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer
10:22

Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer

Published on: November 30, 2020

3.7K
Scalable Step-by-Step Approach of Sustainable Bioplastic Production from Food Waste
08:14

Scalable Step-by-Step Approach of Sustainable Bioplastic Production from Food Waste

Published on: July 18, 2025

600

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 3, 2025

Isolation of Native Soil Microorganisms with Potential for Breaking Down Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films Used in Agriculture
13:38

Isolation of Native Soil Microorganisms with Potential for Breaking Down Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films Used in Agriculture

Published on: May 10, 2013

31.0K
Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer
10:22

Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer

Published on: November 30, 2020

3.7K
Scalable Step-by-Step Approach of Sustainable Bioplastic Production from Food Waste
08:14

Scalable Step-by-Step Approach of Sustainable Bioplastic Production from Food Waste

Published on: July 18, 2025

600

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Science
  • Sustainable Materials

Background:

  • Growing demand for sustainable alternatives to conventional petrochemical plastics.
  • Need to evaluate the performance of biodegradable plastics in industrial processing.
  • Importance of understanding material properties for specific applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the mechanical and physical properties of biodegradable plastics (starch-based and PLA) with low-density polyethylene.
  • To investigate the effect of processing parameters, specifically screw rotational speed, on film properties.
  • To assess the suitability of biodegradable plastics for film blowing applications.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized blown film extrusion to process potato starch-based plastic (TPS-P), corn starch-based plastic (TPS-C), polylactic acid (PLA), and low-density polyethylene (LDPE).
  • Evaluated mechanical properties (tensile strength, elongation at break, puncture resistance), tribological properties (friction coefficients), optical properties (color, gloss), surface roughness, barrier properties (gas and water vapor permeability), and microstructure.
  • Varied screw rotational speeds during film extrusion to observe their impact on film characteristics.

Main Results:

  • Biodegradable plastics exhibited mechanical strength comparable or superior to LDPE under the tested processing conditions.
  • Increased screw rotational speed led to a decrease in barrier properties of the films.
  • No significant correlation was found between surface roughness and gas/water vapor permeability.
  • Optical and barrier properties varied among the tested biodegradable plastics.

Conclusions:

  • Biodegradable plastics, including TPS-P, TPS-C, and PLA, demonstrate competitive mechanical performance against LDPE in film blowing.
  • Screw rotational speed is a critical parameter influencing the mechanical and barrier properties of biodegradable plastic films.
  • These biodegradable materials show potential for niche film blowing applications where cost, recyclability, and specific barrier/optical properties are less critical.