The emphasis in degradable polymers has changed since the first edition of this book. Biomedical and agricultural applications remain important topics of scientific and commercial interest in the second edition. However, an increased emphasis on composting as a means of recovering value from wastes has led to a new impetus to understand how plastics degrade in the environment and the implication of this for international standards.

Polymers based on renewable resources are also a major topic in this edition but the debate continues about their long-term sustainability and ecological advantages over degradable man-made polymers.

Degradable Polymers: Principles and Applications is of interest not only to academic and industrial scientists working on packaging, agricultural and medical applications of plastics but also to students of environmental science and legislators concerned with the effects of man-made materials in the environment.

Contents

1. Why Biodegradable Polymers?
2. An Overview of Biodegradable Polymers and Biodegradation of Polymers
3. Degradation and Stabilization of Carbon-Chain Polymers
4. Techniques and Methods of Polymer Degradation
5. Biodegradation of Aliphatic Polyesters
6. Starch-Polymer Composites
7. Polymers from Renewable Sources
8. Sustainable Poly(Hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA) Production
9. Polyhydroxyalkanoates: Properties and Modification for High Volume Application
10. Biodegradable Polymers in Medicine
11. Environmentally Biodegradable Water-Soluble Polymers
12. Plastics and the Environment
13. Degradable Hydrocarbon Polymers in Waste and Litter Control

Subject Index

click here to see books • videos • cd-roms of related interest