Hanser Verlag presents a new technical book titled “Processing of Biodegradable Polymers” that unites all relevant aspects of processing biodegradable plastics. The book is now available and written in English.
Biodegradable polymers (BDPs) based on renewable resources are seen as particularly promising in both science and industry due to their potential to replace fossil-derived polymers (FDPs) in numerous applications. Moreover, BDPs offer biodegradability at the end of their lifecycle, reducing the environmental impact of most FDPs. However, processing requirements for these materials differ from those of conventional, non-biodegradable fossil-based polymers.
The book covers the fundamental properties of BDPs according to their classification, the rheology of BDPs and their blends, and their numerous applications, with a focus on processing. Since BDPs possess attractive properties compared to FDPs, their processing has been investigated using conventional processing technologies. However, BDPs are sensitive to processing conditions due to their composition, which is tuned to biodegradation.
Special attention must be paid to minimizing degradation during processing and enhancing the final processed properties. To address some of the processing shortcomings of BDPs, special additives, fillers, and blends have been developed to minimally affect the biodegradation rate of BDPs. All these aspects of BDP processing are covered in this book, including their characteristics in extrusion, injection molding, thermoforming, blow molding, and 3D printing, as well as the processing of recycled BDPs.
The book is authored by numerous experts in the fields of plastics engineering, materials science, and polymer chemistry, under the editorship of Prof. Samuel Kenig and Prof. Amos Ophir from Shenkar College in Israel. Samuel Kenig is the Dean of Engineering and Head of Graduate Studies in Plastics Engineering at Shenkar College. He founded the Department of Plastics Engineering at Shenkar College in 1994 and has extensive experience in industrial research and development. Kenig has published more than 140 scientific papers and 19 patents and has delivered over 120 lectures at international conferences.
Amos Ophir is the Head of the Department of Polymer Materials and Engineering at Shenkar College and a co-founder of the Department of Polymers and Plastics Engineering. Besides being a senior researcher, he has been active in Israel’s plastics and rubber industry for over thirty years and has been the CEO of the Israel Plastics and Rubber Center since 2014.
