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Biodegradable Fiber Preparation Technique to Meet Industrial Requisites Through Sheath-Core Melt-Spinning
Jin Yoo1, Ga Hee Kim2, Jun-Yeop Shim3
1Division of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea.
Polymers
|February 26, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed biodegradable fibers from polypropylene (PP) and thermoplastic starch (TPS) blends. These novel fibers offer excellent mechanical properties and enhanced biodegradability, paving the way for sustainable plastic alternatives.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
- Sustainable Chemistry
Background:
- Biodegradable polymers are crucial for sustainable plastic life cycles and achieving a carbon-neutral society.
- Blending petroleum-based polymers with bio-based materials presents a promising route for enhanced sustainability.
- Addressing the immiscibility of hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymers is key to developing effective polymer blends.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop biodegradable fibers with excellent mechanical properties using polypropylene (PP) and thermoplastic starch (TPS) blends.
- To overcome the inherent immiscibility between PP and TPS through hydrophilic modification and a masterbatch approach.
- To enhance biodegradability while maintaining structural integrity using a sheath-core fiber configuration.
Main Methods:
- Hydrophilic modification and masterbatch preparation of PP and TPS blends.
- Melt-spinning trials to assess spinnability and processability.
- Sheath-core fiber fabrication with a biodegradable promoter (BP) in the sheath.
- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) for morphological and thermal analysis.
- Mechanical testing to evaluate fiber tenacity and tensile strain.
- Biodegradation testing to quantify the degradation rate.
Main Results:
- Modified PP/TPS blends (mPP/TPS) exhibited excellent spinnability and processability, comparable to virgin PP.
- SEM and DSC confirmed strong interfacial compatibility, uniform morphology, and absence of phase separation in the sheath-core fibers.
- Sheath-core fibers met industrial requirements, achieving up to 2.47 gf/den tenacity and >73% tensile strain.
- Fibers with a biodegradable promoter (BP) showed significantly increased biodegradation (65.93% in 115 days) compared to BP-free fibers (37.00%).
Conclusions:
- Blending petroleum-based PP with bio-based TPS is feasible for creating high-performance biodegradable fibers.
- The sheath-core structure effectively balances biodegradability and mechanical stability.
- These fibers represent a sustainable solution for industrial applications, contributing to reduced plastic waste and a circular economy.
