Gelatine Blends Modified with Polysaccharides: A Potential Alternative to Non-Degradable Plastics.

Non-degradable plastics of petrochemical origin are a contemporary problem of society. Due to the large amount of plastic waste, there are problems with their disposal or storage, where the most common types of plastic waste are disposable tableware, bags, packaging, bottles, and containers, and not all of them can be recycled. Due to growing ecological awareness, interest in the topics of biodegradable materials suitable for disposable items has begun to reduce the consumption of non-degradable plastics. An example of such materials are biodegradable biopolymers and their derivatives, which can be used to create the so-called bioplastics and biopolymer blends. In this article, gelatine blends modified with polysaccharides (e.g., agarose or carrageenan) were created and tested in order to obtain a stable biopolymer coating. Various techniques were used to characterize the resulting bioplastics, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)/differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), contact angle measurements, and surface energy characterization. The influence of thermal and microbiological degradation on the properties of the blends was also investigated. From the analysis, it can be observed that the addition of agarose increased the hardness of the mixture by 27% compared to the control sample without the addition of polysaccharides. In addition, there was an increase in the surface energy (24%), softening point (15%), and glass transition temperature (14%) compared to the control sample. The addition of starch to the gelatine matrix increased the softening point by 15% and the glass transition temperature by 6%. After aging, both compounds showed an increase in hardness of 26% and a decrease in tensile strength of 60%. This offers an opportunity as application materials in the form of biopolymer coatings, dietary supplements, skin care products, short-term and single-contact decorative elements, food, medical, floriculture, and decorative industries.

Preparation and Characterization of Gelatin-Agarose and Gelatin-Starch Blends Using Alkaline Solvent.

Plastic waste is a serious problem in modern society. Every day, mankind produces tons of waste that must be disposed of or recycled. The most common types of plastic waste are disposable tableware, bags, packaging, bottles, and containers, and not all are recycled. Therefore, there is a great interest in producing environmentally friendly disposable materials. In this study, modified gelatin blends using polysaccharides (e.g., agarose, starch) were produced to obtain a stable coating. Various techniques were used to characterize the obtained bioplastics, including FTIR spectroscopy (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy), TGA (thermogravimetric analysis)/DSC (differential scanning calorimetry), contact angle measurements, and surface energy characterization. We also investigated the influence of thermal and microbiological degradation on the properties of the biocomposite. The addition of agarose increased the hardness of the blend by 27% compared to the control sample without added polysaccharides. Increases were also observed in the surface energy (24%), softening point (15%), and glass transition temperature (14%) compared to the control sample. The addition of starch to the biopolymer increased the softening point by 15% and the glass transition temperature by 6%. After aging, both blends showed an increase in hardness of 26% and a decrease in tensile strength of 60%.

Use of Ashes from Lignite Combustion as Fillers in Rubber Mixtures to Reduce VOC Emissions.

This paper presents the use of ashes from brown coal combustion (BCA) as fillers in rubber mixtures, to reduce the emission of volatile organic compounds. Two types of ash, BCA1 and BCA2, were selected as fillers for styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). The ashes were produced during the treatment of brown coal at the Belchatów Power Plant in the years 2017 and 2018. The morphology and chemical composition of the ash were tested. Morphology studies using scanning microscopy showed differences in the grain sizes of the ashes, and EDS analysis showed a difference in their chemical compositions. Vulcanizates with different weight proportions of the individual ashes were produced. Mixtures were made with the addition of 10-30 pts. wt. ashes per 100 g of SBR. The addition of BCA1 ash at 10 and 30 pts. wt. reduced the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC) while maintaining the good strength properties of the mixtures.

Biopolymer Composites as an Alternative to Materials for the Production of Ecological Packaging.

The problem of plastic waste has long been a concern for governments and society. However, huge amounts of plastic are still being released into the oceans and the environment. One possible solution is to replace plastics with materials that are more both biodecomposable and biodegradable. The most environmentally friendly materials are made of natural ingredients found in nature, although not all of them can be called biodegradable. In this study, we set out to create a new composite with functional properties that could replace commonly used disposable packaging. To ensure the competitiveness of our solution, we used inexpensive and readily available components, such as gelatin G HOOCCH2CH2C(R1)NHCOCH2NH2 (where R1 is a continuation of the peptide chain), polyvinyl alcohol PVA CH2CH(OH), and glycerin G HOCH2CH(CH2OH)O. The ingredients used in the research come from natural sources; however, they are chemically processed. Some of them, such as polyvinyl alcohol, for example, are biodegradable. With the appropriate selection of the components, in the casting process, the intermixed components made it possible to produce materials that were characterized by good physicochemical properties, including thermal stability, optical transmission of UV-Vis light, cross-linking density, and mechanical strength. The most favorable parameters of thermal stability were observed in casein-containing gelatine forms. The best cross-linking density was obtained in the case of gelatin-glycerine systems. Composite containing caseins distinguished by the highest resistance to flammability, increased thermal stability, flexibility, and greater hardness compared to other composites.

Hazardous Waste Management of Buffing Dust Collagen.

Buffing Dust Collagen (BDC) is a hazardous waste product of chromium tanning bovine hides. The aim of this study was to investigate whether BDC has the desirable properties required of modern fillers. The microstructural properties of BDC were characterized by elemental analysis (N, Cr2O3) of dry residue and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The BDC was applied (5 to 30 parts by weight) to styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), obtaining SBR-BDC composites. The physicochemical properties of the SBR-BDC composites were examined by Fourier transform infrared analysis, SEM, UV-Vis spectroscopy, swelling tests, mechanical tests, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The biodegradability of the SBR-BDC composites and their thermo-oxidative aging were also investigated. The filler contributed to increase the cross-link density in the elastomer structure, as evidenced by enhanced mechanical strength. The introduction of a filler into the elastomer structure resulted in an increase in the efficiency of polymer bonding, which was manifested by more favorable rheological and mechanical parameters. It also influenced the formation of stable interfacial bonds between the individual components in the polymer matrix, which in turn reduced the release of compact chromium in the BDC filler. This was shown by the absorption bands for polar groups in the infrared analysis and by imaging of the vulcanization process.