R&D In Sustainable Packaging Solutions Developed From Biopolymers on the Cards with Increasing Concerns Regarding Ecosystem

Biopolymers can be made up of a mixture of different natural molecules like oil, waxes, starch, salt, sugar, etc. These molecules are called 'functional molecules'. All the natural polymers used in the manufacturing of biopolymers consist of one or more carbon atoms with covalent bonding to another carbon atom and commonly hydrogen and oxygen, with one main molecular structure.

Biopolymers have been used widely for many years because it is easy to make them, with the use of some simple biopolymers. Polymers have been grouped into families and sometimes kingdoms based on their specific functionality. Some types of biopolymers are totally different from others. The most common of these are monomeric systems, which consist of monomer molecules like DNA and RNA, and thermo-genetic systems, which are made up of thermo-genetic units linked together through hydrogen bonding.

The properties of biopolymers have been studied over the years to find out how useful they are. They have been tested for antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antifungal properties, which were confirmed by recent tests. Chitosan and green chemistry have contributed greatly to this study. Chitosan, a natural substance from sea creatures, has strong antibacterial properties, which are useful in fighting many types of bacteria and fungi. Green chemistry discovered that chitosan has a certain catalytic property that helps the molecules made of the material bind together easily with other molecules, which makes them resistant to damage.