Biodegradable Packaging Materials

Biodegradable packaging material is an emerging material in the packaging industry, which can be decomposed by microorganisms in the natural environment under certain conditions, and degraded into non-toxic and harmless substances, which will not cause pollution to the environment.

There are two main types of degradable packaging materials: biodegradable materials and photodegradable materials.

Biodegradable materials are made from natural renewable resources through a series of processing and manufacturing processes. This type of material mainly includes starch, cellulose, protein and so on. Compared with traditional plastic packaging materials, biodegradable materials have biodegradable properties and can be decomposed by microorganisms in the natural environment and degraded into harmless substances such as carbon dioxide and water. The manufacturing process of this material is less polluting to the environment and can effectively reduce the harm to the environment. In addition, biodegradable materials also have good physical properties, such as high temperature and heat resistance, which can be applied to different packaging needs.

Photodegradable materials are used to decompose materials by adding special photosensitisers or photocatalysts to plastic packaging materials, using active substances generated under light. These materials have good physical properties when not exposed to light, but will undergo a degradation reaction under light conditions and eventually decompose into harmless substances. The advantage of photodegradable materials is that they can be decomposed by using the light energy in the natural environment, without additional energy and with less environmental pollution. In addition, photodegradable materials can be adjusted according to the needs, so that their degradation speed meets the actual application requirements.

The application prospect of biodegradable packaging materials is broad. As people's awareness of environmental protection increases, more and more enterprises are choosing biodegradable packaging materials to reduce their impact on the environment. In the food industry, degradable packaging materials can be used to package all kinds of food, such as vegetables, fruits, meat, etc., which can effectively extend the shelf life of food and reduce food waste. In the logistics industry, degradable packaging materials can be used to package all kinds of items, such as electronic products, clothing, books, etc., which can provide good protection without causing pollution to the environment. In addition, degradable packaging materials can also be used in the agricultural sector for packaging and protection of agricultural products.

However, degradable packaging materials also have some challenges and problems. Firstly, the manufacturing cost of degradable packaging materials is high, which leads to high product prices and limits their competitiveness in the market. Secondly, the degradation rate and degradation pathway of degradable packaging materials are affected by environmental factors, such as temperature and humidity, which may lead to unstable degradation rate of the materials in actual use. In addition, there is still a gap between the performance of degradable packaging materials and that of traditional plastic materials, which requires further research and development and improvement.

In summary, degradable packaging materials are a kind of packaging materials with good sustainability, which can effectively reduce the impact on the environment. With the progress of technology and people's awareness of environmental protection, it is believed that degradable packaging materials will be widely used in the packaging industry in the future.