Background

Increased production and consumption of fossil fuels-based plastics has had dire environmental and ecological impacts. The packaging industry accounts for more than 26% of total plastics production, with 90% of these being non-degradable and single-use. To limit the industrial and environmental damage of petroleum-based packaging, interest in sustainable alternatives is rapidly growing. Biopolymers serve as an attractive alternative as they’re sustainable and biodegradable. However, they have performance limitations. For biopolymers to secure their foothold in the market, several materials shortcomings must be addressed. These issues include water and oxygen permeability, mechanical brittleness, thermal stability, water uptake, and instability during processing.