Review of the Development of Biodegradable Plastic from Synthetic Polymers and Selected Synthesized Nanoparticle Starches

Plastics which are made from polyethylene, due to their remarkable physical properties are among the most widely used materials in the world today with applications ranging from agriculture to food packaging and domestic uses. However, their remarkable properties are counteracted by the fact that they are not biodegradable and result in water and land pollution which are on a steady increase annually, amongst other forms of pollution. This has consequently resulted in the development of plastics which are biodegradable and at the same time are able to compete with the generic LDPE-based plastics in terms of strength and durability. This review focuses on the various results and progressions made towards developing a biodegradable plastic from a synthetic base polymer such as Low-Density Polyethylene, Polycaprolactone or Polylactic Acid by dispersing synthesized selected nanoparticle starches into the matrix of the polymer.