Study on suppressing the biodegradability of biodegradable polymers

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25340097
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Environmental conscious materials and recycle
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: YAMANO Naoko 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, バイオメディカル研究部門, 主任研究員 (20358279)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 生分解性材料 / 生分解性制御 / バイオベース / ポリアミド

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Biodegradable polymers have been developed as green materials. However, when they are used for a long time, long-term stability is important and biodegradability is undesired. Polyamide 4 (PA4) is a biodegradable polymer that can be produced from biomass. Various functional groups were introduced to biodegradable polymers (PA4 and PCL). Hydrophobic groups like long-chain fatty acid as a terminal group suppressed biodegradability of polymers. Adding hydrophilicity with methylolation accelerated biodegradation even if the polymer suppressed biodegradability by long-chain fatty acid terminal. The alteration of the hydrophobicity of the polymers was directly related to the suppression of the biodegradability. Polymers that suppressed biodegradability degraded with surfactants.

Free Research Field

環境材料