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durability, corrosion-resistant, ease of processing, and high productivity make
them highly desirable to society [1–4]. There is also a steep increase in the demand
of plastic, in the areas of medicine, pharma sector, agriculture sector, packaging,
and end-user industries in the past few decades [4, 5]. Since most of the plastics
are synthesized from the petroleum based monomers, it is now high time to
replace these petroleum-based/non-degradable polymers with degradable polymers for all commercial applications [1, 4]. However, there are several undesirable outcomes of plastic waste such as microplastics and their impact on the
environment. Notably, the most concerning aspect of plastic use is its impact on
our environment and ecosystem. The non-degradable nature of accumulated plastic leads to a significant problem of waste management all over the world [3, 5].
For this reason, biodegradable polymers are highly requisite for our environment
and the betterment of our society. For the last two decades, scientists are trying to
develop polymers that are not detrimental to the ground and living things and can
be degraded quickly [1, 2]. The solution lies in the development of bio-based or
degradable plastics that can be prepared from biomass or synthetic materials [1,
6]. Nylon™ is a basic term that represents an important class of polyamides [6].
Amide linkages in the polyamide exhibit high thermomechanical properties,
higher softening temperature because of hydrogen bonding, which provides chain
symmetry polyamide founds its application in the bristles, ropes, fishing net, biomedical application, an automobile engine [7]. Polyamide are partially degradable and can be broken down into small parts after the action of microorganisms
such as bacteria or genetically altered bacteria, fungi, insects, and alga [2, 7].
There is also well-known synthetic or bio-based polyester which has a low softening temperature and their desirable lower strength because of chemical structure,
and derived from a microorganism such as polylactic acid (PLA).
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) [8–11] are considered as biodegradable polymers
and have shown great potential as replacement of petroleum-based products [7].
Polysaccharides are biologically relevant, quite often heterogeneous polymers
comprising of monosaccharide moieties interacting via glycosidic linkages [12–
16]. Chitin, being abundantly available, is one of the preferred choices for composite preparation as it imparts biodegradability and biocompatibility. In the
present study, we will discuss the synthesis and properties of polyesters, polyamide, and chitin that are prepared from renewable sources or bio-based materials.
2 Polyester
Polyester is a synthetic fiber and is one of the most commonly used polymers that
contain an ester functional group [8, 10, 11]. For the last two decades, scientists are
trying to develop polymers that are not detrimental to the environment and living
things and can be degraded easily [7, 9–11] (Fig. 1).
M. A. Ali et al.
durability, corrosion-resistant, ease of processing, and high productivity make
them highly desirable to society [1–4]. There is also a steep increase in the demand
of plastic, in the areas of medicine, pharma sector, agriculture sector, packaging,
and end-user industries in the past few decades [4, 5]. Since most of the plastics
are synthesized from the petroleum based monomers, it is now high time to
replace these petroleum-based/non-degradable polymers with degradable polymers for all commercial applications [1, 4]. However, there are several undesirable outcomes of plastic waste such as microplastics and their impact on the
environment. Notably, the most concerning aspect of plastic use is its impact on
our environment and ecosystem. The non-degradable nature of accumulated plastic leads to a significant problem of waste management all over the world [3, 5].
For this reason, biodegradable polymers are highly requisite for our environment
and the betterment of our society. For the last two decades, scientists are trying to
develop polymers that are not detrimental to the ground and living things and can
be degraded quickly [1, 2]. The solution lies in the development of bio-based or
degradable plastics that can be prepared from biomass or synthetic materials [1,
6]. Nylon™ is a basic term that represents an important class of polyamides [6].
Amide linkages in the polyamide exhibit high thermomechanical properties,
higher softening temperature because of hydrogen bonding, which provides chain
symmetry polyamide founds its application in the bristles, ropes, fishing net, biomedical application, an automobile engine [7]. Polyamide are partially degradable and can be broken down into small parts after the action of microorganisms
such as bacteria or genetically altered bacteria, fungi, insects, and alga [2, 7].
There is also well-known synthetic or bio-based polyester which has a low softening temperature and their desirable lower strength because of chemical structure,
and derived from a microorganism such as polylactic acid (PLA).
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) [8–11] are considered as biodegradable polymers
and have shown great potential as replacement of petroleum-based products [7].
Polysaccharides are biologically relevant, quite often heterogeneous polymers
comprising of monosaccharide moieties interacting via glycosidic linkages [12–
16]. Chitin, being abundantly available, is one of the preferred choices for composite preparation as it imparts biodegradability and biocompatibility. In the
present study, we will discuss the synthesis and properties of polyesters, polyamide, and chitin that are prepared from renewable sources or bio-based materials.
2 Polyester
Polyester is a synthetic fiber and is one of the most commonly used polymers that
contain an ester functional group [8, 10, 11]. For the last two decades, scientists are
trying to develop polymers that are not detrimental to the environment and living
things and can be degraded easily [7, 9–11] (Fig. 1).
M. A. Ali et al.