Biodegradable plastic resin
Biodegradable resin materials are provided which comprise a blend of a starch component, a synthetic thermoplastic polymer resin, one or more plasticizers, and a protein component. In certain embodiments, the synthetic thermoplastic polymer resin may comprise a thermoplastic polyester-based compound, and the protein component may comprise albumin. The biodegradable resin materials tend to exhibit physical and mechanical characteristics that contrast with conventional biodegradable materials.
1. A polymeric resin material comprising:
a starch component;
a plasticizer;
a thermoplastic polyester-based resin comprising one or more members selected from the group consisting of polyester polyurethane resins, polyester polyamide resins, and polyether polyester resins; and
albumin.
2. The polymeric resin material of claim 1 , said starch component including one or more polymeric complexing agents.
3. The polymeric resin material of claim 1 , said starch component being present in said polymeric resin material at a level of between about 20% to about 60% by weight.
4. The polymeric resin material of claim 1 , said plasticizer comprising an organic acid or organic acid ester plasticizer.
5. The polymeric resin material of claim 4 , said organic acid ester plasticizer being a citric acid ester plasticizer.
6. The polymeric resin material of claim 1 , said plasticizer being present in said polymeric resin material at a level of between about 20% to about 40% by weight.
7. The polymeric resin material of claim 1 , said albumin being present in said polymeric resin material at a level of between 0.1% to 3% by weight.
8. The polymeric resin material of claim 1 , said thermoplastic polyester-based resin being present in said polymeric resin material at a level of between about 20% to about 40% by weight.
9. The polymeric resin material of claim 1 , said albumin being present in said polymeric resin material at a level of between about 0.1% to about 10% by weight.
10. The polymeric resin material of claim 1 , said polymeric resin material biodegrading by at least 50% after 100 days of testing in accordance with DIN EN 13432 and ISO 14855.
11. The polymeric resin material of claim 1 , said polymeric resin material biodegrading by at least 60% after 120 days of testing in accordance with DIN EN 13432 and ISO 14855.
12. The polymeric resin material of claim 1 , said polymeric resin material having an ultimate tensile strength of between about 5 to about 20 MPa when tested in accordance with ISO 37.
13. The polymeric resin material of claim 1 , said polymeric resin material exhibiting an elongation at break of at least 600% when tested in accordance with ISO 37.
14. The polymeric resin material of claim 1 , said polymeric resin material exhibiting an elastic modulus of between about 1 to about 20 MPa when tested in accordance with ISO 37.
15. The polymeric resin material of claim 1 , wherein said polymeric resin material is substantially free of polyolefins.
16. A molded article comprising the polymeric resin material of claim 1 .
17. A film comprising the polymeric resin material of claim 1 .
18. A biodegradable resin material comprising:
between about 20% to about 60% by weight of a starch component;
an organic acid ester plasticizer;
a thermoplastic polyester-based resin comprising one or more members selected from the group consisting of polyester polyurethane resins, polyester polyamide resins, and polyether polyester resins;
between about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of albumin,
said resin material biodegrading by at least 50% after 100 days of testing in accordance with DIN EN 13432 and ISO 14855.
19. The biodegradable resin material of claim 18 , said albumin being present in said biodegradable resin material at a level of between 0.1% to 3% by weight.
20. A method of forming a molded article comprising heating a quantity of the polymeric resin material of claim 1 to a temperature of between about 250° F. to about 330° F. thereby producing a polymeric resin melt, and injecting said polymeric resin melt into a mold.
21. The method of claim 20 , said heating step being performed using an extruder.
22. A method of forming a film comprising heating a quantity of the polymeric resin material of claim 1 to a temperature of between about 250° F. to about 330° F. thereby producing a polymeric resin melt, and extruding said polymeric resin melt into a film.