This study investigated the impact of incorporating a 1‑3% by weight of biodegradable additive into polypropylene (PP) using twin‑screw extrusion, followed by injection molding to prepare test specimens. The effects of the additive on the rheological, thermal, mechanical, and optical properties of PP were investigated, along with the impact of two common sterilization methods: autoclave (121°C, 15 min, 0.11 MPa) and electron beam (E-Beam, 50 kGy) irradiation. The results showed that the biodegradable additive minimally affected the flow and melting properties of PP while enhancing the rigidity and heat resistance. Autoclave sterilization, a moist‑heat treatment, significantly improved flexural strength and heat distortion temperature (HDT) by acting as an annealing process. E-Beam irradiation notably increased tensile strength due to radiation‑induced crosslinking but marginally decreased impact strength. However, irradiation also induced oxidative degradation, impacting color stability and lowering surface energy. Despite these changes after treatments, the biodegradable additive showed potential in maintaining PP’s mechanical properties integrity and sustainability, making it a viable option for eco‑friendly labware development. This study highlights the promise of the biodegradable additive for enhancing key properties of PP labware and creating more sustainable plastic labware without compromising product durability and sterilization requirements.

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1.   BioSphere Plastic LLC. How BioSphere Works. 2.   Chaudhari CV, Dubey KA, Bhardwaj YK, Naxane G, Sarma KSS, Sabharwal S. Effect of electron beam radiation on the polypropylene/polyethylene blends: Radiation stabilization of polypropylene. Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res B. 2007;263(2):451–7. 3.   Devalla S. Review of Evidence on Oxo-biodegradable Plastic Products. 2022; 1-21 4.   Fintzou AT, Badeka AV, Kontominas MG, Stahl MR, Riganakos KA. Changes in physicochemical and mechanical properties of electron-beam irradiated polypropylene syringes as a function of irradiation dose. Radiat Phys Chem. 2007;76(5):841–51. 5.   Freeland B, McCarthy E, Balakrishnan R, Fahy S, Boland A, Rochfort KD, Dabros M, Marti R, Kelleher SM, Gaughran J. A review of polylactic acid as a replacement material for single-use laboratory components. Materials (Basel). 2022;15(9):2989. 6.   Han L, Li X, Li Y, Huang T, Wang Y, Wu J, Xiang F. Influence of annealing on microstructure and physical properties of isotactic polypropylene/calcium carbonate composites with β-phase nucleating agent. Mater Sci Eng A. 2010;527(13):3176–85. 7.   Jiang D-H, Satoh T, Tung SH, Kuo C-C. Sustainable Alternatives to Nondegradable Medical Plastics. ACS Sustain Chem Eng. 2022;10(15):4792–806. 8.   Krause M, Gautam K, Gazda M, Niraula A. Seize the lab waste day. Chem World. 2020. 9.   Lloyd A. Alternatives to PVC: Medical materials. Mater Today. 2004;7(2):19. 10. Makuuchi K, Cheng S. Radiation processing of polymer materials and its industrial applications. 1st ed. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. 11. Mubarak YA. Effects of biodegradable polypropylene additive on the impact strength and spherulites growth rate of isotactic polypropylene. Int J Mech Eng Technol. 2018;9(5):109–21. 12. Mubarak YA. Thermal and mechanical properties of biodegradable isotactic polypropylene. J Thermoplast Compos Mater. 2022;35(12):2371–94. 13. Kelesoglu N. The First PLA Plastic Plates Offered for Tissue Culture. 2024. 14. Owens DK, Wendt RC. Estimation of the surface free energy of polymers. J Appl Polym Sci. 1969;13(8):1741–7. 15. Samper MD, Bertomeu D, Arrieta MP, Ferri JM, López-Martínez J. Interference of biodegradable plastics in the polypropylene recycling process. Materials (Basel). 2018;11(10):1886. 16. Sastri VR. Plastics in Medical Devices: Properties, Requirements, and Applications. 2nd ed. Oxford: Elsevier Science; 2013. 17. Seguchi T, Arakawa K, Ito M, Hayakawa N, Machi S. Radiation-induced oxidative degradation of polymers—III: Effect of radiation on mechanical properties. Radiat Phys Chem. 1983;21(6):495–507. 18. Sin LT, Rahman AR, Rahman WAWA. Polylactic acid: PLA biopolymer technology and applications. 1st ed. Oxford: Elsevier Science; 2012. 19. Song K, Lee J, Choi S-O, Kim J. Interaction of surface energy components between solid and liquid on wettability, and its application to textile anti-wetting finish. Polymers (Basel). 2019;11(3):498. 20. Tjong SC, Li WD, Li RKY. Impact toughening behaviour of quaternary PP/HDPE/EPDM/EP blends. Eur Polym J. 1998;34(5):755–60. 21. Wiesinger H, Klotz M, Wang Z, Zhao Y, Haupt M, Hellweg S. The Identity of oxo-degradable plastics and their use in Switzerland. Fed Off Environ (FOEN), Zurich, Switzerland; 2020. 22. Wong AC-Y. Heat deflection characteristics of polypropylene and polypropylene/polyethylene binary systems. Compos Part B Eng. 2003;34(2):199–208. 23. Zafiu C, Binner E, Höck L, Świechowski K, Huber-Humer M. Study on the degradability of plastics with prodegradant additives during anaerobic and aerobic biological waste treatment processes. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag. 2023;25(6):3545–56.

This study investigated the impact of incorporating a 1‑3% by weight of biodegradable additive into polypropylene (PP) using twin‑screw extrusion, followed by injection molding to prepare test specimens. The effects of the additive on the rheological, thermal, mechanical, and optical properties of PP were investigated, along with the impact of two common sterilization methods: autoclave (121°C, 15 min, 0.11 MPa) and electron beam (E-Beam, 50 kGy) irradiation. The results showed that the biodegradable additive minimally affected the flow and melting properties of PP while enhancing the rigidity and heat resistance. Autoclave sterilization, a moist‑heat treatment, significantly improved flexural strength and heat distortion temperature (HDT) by acting as an annealing process. E-Beam irradiation notably increased tensile strength due to radiation‑induced crosslinking but marginally decreased impact strength. However, irradiation also induced oxidative degradation, impacting color stability and lowering surface energy. Despite these changes after treatments, the biodegradable additive showed potential in maintaining PP’s mechanical properties integrity and sustainability, making it a viable option for eco‑friendly labware development. This study highlights the promise of the biodegradable additive for enhancing key properties of PP labware and creating more sustainable plastic labware without compromising product durability and sterilization requirements.

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1.   BioSphere Plastic LLC. How BioSphere Works. 2.   Chaudhari CV, Dubey KA, Bhardwaj YK, Naxane G, Sarma KSS, Sabharwal S. Effect of electron beam radiation on the polypropylene/polyethylene blends: Radiation stabilization of polypropylene. Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res B. 2007;263(2):451–7. 3.   Devalla S. Review of Evidence on Oxo-biodegradable Plastic Products. 2022; 1-21 4.   Fintzou AT, Badeka AV, Kontominas MG, Stahl MR, Riganakos KA. Changes in physicochemical and mechanical properties of electron-beam irradiated polypropylene syringes as a function of irradiation dose. Radiat Phys Chem. 2007;76(5):841–51. 5.   Freeland B, McCarthy E, Balakrishnan R, Fahy S, Boland A, Rochfort KD, Dabros M, Marti R, Kelleher SM, Gaughran J. A review of polylactic acid as a replacement material for single-use laboratory components. Materials (Basel). 2022;15(9):2989. 6.   Han L, Li X, Li Y, Huang T, Wang Y, Wu J, Xiang F. Influence of annealing on microstructure and physical properties of isotactic polypropylene/calcium carbonate composites with β-phase nucleating agent. Mater Sci Eng A. 2010;527(13):3176–85. 7.   Jiang D-H, Satoh T, Tung SH, Kuo C-C. Sustainable Alternatives to Nondegradable Medical Plastics. ACS Sustain Chem Eng. 2022;10(15):4792–806. 8.   Krause M, Gautam K, Gazda M, Niraula A. Seize the lab waste day. Chem World. 2020. 9.   Lloyd A. Alternatives to PVC: Medical materials. Mater Today. 2004;7(2):19. 10. Makuuchi K, Cheng S. Radiation processing of polymer materials and its industrial applications. 1st ed. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. 11. Mubarak YA. Effects of biodegradable polypropylene additive on the impact strength and spherulites growth rate of isotactic polypropylene. Int J Mech Eng Technol. 2018;9(5):109–21. 12. Mubarak YA. Thermal and mechanical properties of biodegradable isotactic polypropylene. J Thermoplast Compos Mater. 2022;35(12):2371–94. 13. Kelesoglu N. The First PLA Plastic Plates Offered for Tissue Culture. 2024. 14. Owens DK, Wendt RC. Estimation of the surface free energy of polymers. J Appl Polym Sci. 1969;13(8):1741–7. 15. Samper MD, Bertomeu D, Arrieta MP, Ferri JM, López-Martínez J. Interference of biodegradable plastics in the polypropylene recycling process. Materials (Basel). 2018;11(10):1886. 16. Sastri VR. Plastics in Medical Devices: Properties, Requirements, and Applications. 2nd ed. Oxford: Elsevier Science; 2013. 17. Seguchi T, Arakawa K, Ito M, Hayakawa N, Machi S. Radiation-induced oxidative degradation of polymers—III: Effect of radiation on mechanical properties. Radiat Phys Chem. 1983;21(6):495–507. 18. Sin LT, Rahman AR, Rahman WAWA. Polylactic acid: PLA biopolymer technology and applications. 1st ed. Oxford: Elsevier Science; 2012. 19. Song K, Lee J, Choi S-O, Kim J. Interaction of surface energy components between solid and liquid on wettability, and its application to textile anti-wetting finish. Polymers (Basel). 2019;11(3):498. 20. Tjong SC, Li WD, Li RKY. Impact toughening behaviour of quaternary PP/HDPE/EPDM/EP blends. Eur Polym J. 1998;34(5):755–60. 21. Wiesinger H, Klotz M, Wang Z, Zhao Y, Haupt M, Hellweg S. The Identity of oxo-degradable plastics and their use in Switzerland. Fed Off Environ (FOEN), Zurich, Switzerland; 2020. 22. Wong AC-Y. Heat deflection characteristics of polypropylene and polypropylene/polyethylene binary systems. Compos Part B Eng. 2003;34(2):199–208. 23. Zafiu C, Binner E, Höck L, Świechowski K, Huber-Humer M. Study on the degradability of plastics with prodegradant additives during anaerobic and aerobic biological waste treatment processes. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag. 2023;25(6):3545–56.