Articles Formed with Biodegradable Materials
Described herein are strength characteristics and biodegradation of articles produced using one or more petrochemical-based polymers and one or more carbohydrate-based polymers. A compatibilizer can optionally be included in the article. In some cases, the article can include a film or bag.
1 . An article comprising:
polymeric content comprising:
a starch-based polymeric material including a first starch and a second starch; and
a polyolefin-based polymeric material;
wherein an amount of the polymeric content that biodegrades after 91 days is greater than an amount of the first starch and the second starch based on results of a biomethane potential test conducted at a temperature from about 35° C. to about 55° C. using an inoculum having from about 50% by weight water to about 60% by weight water and from about 40% by weight organic solids to about 50% by weight organic solids.
2 . The article of claim 1 , wherein substantially all of the starch-based polymeric material biodegrades after 91 days as measured according to the biomethane potential test conducted at a temperature of about 52° C. using the inoculum having about 55% by weight water and about 45% by weight organic solids.
3 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the article further comprises a biodegradation enhancing additive present in an amount from about 0.5% by weight to about 2.5% by weight.
4 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the article is substantially free of a biodegradation enhancing additive.
5 . The article of claim 4 , wherein the article has an amount of biodegradation of the article after 91 days that is from about 5% to about 60% greater than an amount of the starch-based polymeric material based on results of the biomethane potential test conducted at a temperature of about 52° C. using an inoculum having about 55% by weight water and about 45% by weight organic solids.
6 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the starch-based polymeric material includes one or more plasticizers.
7 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the first starch is derived from one of potato, corn, or tapioca; and the second starch is derived from a different one of potato, corn, or tapioca.
8 . The article of claim 1 , wherein a first amount of the first starch comprises from about 10% by weight to about 25% by weight of the starch-based polymeric material, and a second amount of the second starch comprises from about 55% by weight to about 85% by weight of the starch -based polymeric material.
9 . The article of claim 1 , further comprising a compatibilizer present in an amount of about 3% by weight to about 7% by weight of the article.
10 . An article comprising:
polymeric content comprising:
one or more carbohydrate-based polymeric materials including one or more carbohydrates; and
one or more petrochemical-based polymeric materials;
wherein an amount of the polymeric content that biodegrades after 91 days is greater than an amount of the one or more carbohydrates based on results of a biomethane potential test conducted at a temperature from about 35° C. to about 55° C. and using an inoculum having from about 50% by weight water to about 60% by weight water and from about 40% by weight organic solids to about 50% by weight organic solids.
11 . The article of claim 10 , wherein the article comprises from about 20% by weight to about 40% by weight of the one or more carbohydrate-based polymeric materials and from about 65% by weight to about 85% by weight of the one or more petrochemical-based polymeric materials, the one or more carbohydrate-based polymeric materials including at least a first starch and a second starch and the one or more petrochemical-based polymeric materials including at least a polyolefin-based polymeric material.
12 . The article of claim 10 , wherein the amount of the polymeric content that biodegrades after 91 days is from about 30% to about 50% based on results of the biomethane potential test conducted at a temperature of about 52° C. using an inoculum having about 55% by weight water and about 45% by weight organic solids.
13 . The article of claim 10 , wherein the amount of the polymeric content that biodegrades after 62 days is from about 25% to about 35% based on results of the biomethane potential test conducted at a temperature of about 52° C. using an inoculum having about 55% by weight water and about 45% by weight organic solids.
14 . The article of claim 10 , wherein the one or more petrochemical-based polymeric materials include a first petrochemical-based polymeric material and a second petrochemical-based polymeric material, the second petrochemical-based polymeric material being compostable according to the ASTM D6400 standard.
15 . A process comprising:
providing one or more petrochemical-based polymeric materials;
providing one or more carbohydrate-based polymeric materials including one or more carbohydrates;
mixing the one or more petrochemical-based polymeric materials and the one or more carbohydrate-based polymeric materials to produce a mixture of materials;
heating the mixture of materials at a temperature included in a range of about 120° C. to about 180° C.;
producing a film using the mixture of materials, wherein:
the film includes polymeric content comprised of the one or more petrochemical-based polymeric materials and the one or more carbohydrate-based polymeric materials; and
an amount of the polymeric content that biodegrades after 91 days is greater than an amount of the one or more carbohydrates based on results of a biomethane potential test conducted at a temperature of about 52° C. using an inoculum having about 55% by weight water and about 45% by weight organic solids.
16 . The process of claim 15 , wherein:
the one or more carbohydrate-based polymeric materials comprise a first starch and a second starch; and
substantially all of the first starch and substantially all of the second starch biodegrades after 91 days based on results of a biomethane potential test conducted at a temperature of about 52° C. using an inoculum having about 55% by weight water and about 45% by weight organic solids.
17 . The process of claim 15 , wherein the mixture of materials includes:
from about 1% by weight to about 9% by weight of one or more compatibilizers;
from about 10% by weight to about 40% by weight of the one or more carbohydrate-based polymeric materials; and
from about 60% by weight to about 89% by weight of the one or more petrochemical-based polymeric materials.
18 . The process of claim 15 , further comprising producing a bag from the film.
19 . The process of claim 15 , wherein the bag has a thickness from about 0.02 mm to about 0.05 mm and the bag includes a cavity having a volume from about 5 L to about 20 L.
20 . The process of claim 15 , wherein:
the mixture of materials is heated in a plurality of chambers of an extruder;
a first chamber of the extruder is set at a first temperature; and
a second chamber of the extruder is set at a second temperature that is different from the first temperature.