--%>
Assignment Help - homework help

What are biodegradable polymers? Present some examples.

 

These are polymers that can be broken into small segments by enzyme-catalysed reactions. The required enzymes are produced by microorganism. It is a known fact that the carbon-carbon bonds of chain growth polymers are inert to enzyme-catalysed reactions, and hence they are non biodegradable. To make such polymers biodegradable we have to insert certain bonds in the chains so that these can be easily broken by the enzymes. Now when such polymers are buried as waste, microorganisms present in the ground can degrade the polymer.

One of the most excellent methods of making a polymer biodegradable is by introducing hydrolysable ester group into the polymer.

For example if acetal is added to an alkene undergoing radical polymerisation, ester group will be inserted into the polymer.

The weak links in the polymer are susceptible to enzyme catalysed hydrolysis.

Aliphatic polyesters are one of the significant categories of biodegradable polymers. Some other examples of biodegradable polymers are described below:

(i) PHBV (Poly-hydroxybutrate-co- 856_Biodegradable1.png-hydroxy valerate):  it is a copolymer of 3-hydroxy butyric acid and 3-hydroxypentanoic acid.
378_Biodegradable.png 


PHBV is used in orthopaedic devices and controlled drug release. The drug put in PHBV capsule is released after this polymer is degraded by enzymatic action. It can also be degraded by bacterial action.

(ii) Poly glycolic acid and poly lactic acid: these are also biodegradable polymers and are used for post operative stitches. These are bioabsorbable structures.

(iii) Nylon-2-Nylon: it is an alternating polyamide copolymer of glycine2233_Biodegradable3.png  and amino caproic acid1005_Biodegradable4.png and is biodegradable.

907_Biodegradable2.png

 

 

 

 

 

   Related Questions in Chemistry

  • Q : What are lattices and unit cells? The

    The repeating, atomic level structure of a crystal can be represented by a lattice and by the repeating unit of the lattice, the unit cell.It was apparent very early in the study of crystals that the shapes of crystals stem from an ordered array of smaller

    		•
  • Q : Amines arrange in decreasing order of

    arrange in decreasing order of basicity pi pyridine,pyridine,pyrrole, morphine

    		•
  • Q : Molarity 20mol of hcl solution requires

    20mol of hcl solution requires 19.85ml of 0.01 M NAOH solution for complete neutralisation. the molarity of hcl solution

    		•
  • Q : Basicity order order of decreasing

    order of decreasing basicity of urea and its substituents

    		•
  • Q : Some basic concepts of chemistry an

    an atom of an element is 10.1 times heavier than the mass of a carbon atom.What is its mass in amu?

    		•
  • Q : Meaning of Molar solution Molar

    Molar solution signifies 1 mole of solute present/existed in: (i) 1000g of solvent (ii) 1 litre of solvent (iii) 1 litre of solution (iv) 1000g of solution

    		•
  • Q : Mole fraction of benzene Choose the

    Choose the right answer from following. In a solution of 8.7g benzene C6H6 and 46.0 gm toluene ,(C6, H5, CH3) the mole fraction of benzene in this solution is: (a)1/6 (b)1/5 (c)1/2 (d)1/3

    		•
  • Q : Diffusion Molecular View When the

    When the diffusion process is treated as the movement of particles through a solvent the diffusion coefficient can be related to the effective size of diffusing particles and the viscosity of the medium.To see how the experimental coefficients can be treat

    		•
  • Q : State substituted hydrocarbon Elaborate

    Elaborate a substituted hydrocarbon?

    		•
  • Q : Strength of any solution Give me answer

    Give me answer of this question. A solution contains 1.2046 x 1024 hydrochloric acid molecules in one dm3 of the solution. The strength of the solution is: (a) 6 N (b) 2 N (c) 4 N (d) 8 N

    		•