Biodegradable copolymer-based composites made from straw fiber for biocomposite flowerpots application

Abstract

Abstract Biodegradable copolymer-based composites produced from straw fiber (SF) with hydrolyzed soybean protein isolate/urea/formaldehyde (HSPI/U/F) copolymer-based adhesive for biocomposite flowerpots (BFP) application was presented in this work, and molecular structure, morphology, biodegradability and microbial population of the resulting materials were also investigated. FTIR and SEM results indicated that the copolymer resin have been successfully prepared. The prepared BFP showed good biodegradation, and the introduction of HSPI increased the degradation rate of BFP, which was nearly 50% at 24 months. After 30 days of controlled composting, the CO2 release accumulation of BFP could reach 24\u202fg. During the process of BFP degradation, the number of bacteria and fungi on the surface was higher than that of actinomyces, indicating the bacteria and fungi selectively accumulated on the BFP composites surface to accelerate its degradation. At the same time, nitrate ion could also be formed by nitrobacteria, which promoted plant growth. There is no doubt that the obtained biodegradable copolymer possessed great potential for BFP application.