Biocomposite composting based on the sugar-protein condensation theory

This article describes the technology of organic recycling of polylactide/halloysite biocomposites using the sugar-protein condensation theory. For this purpose, polymer biocomposites were produced with a polylactic acid structure and reinforced in the form of halloysite nanoparticles by 1; 2.5; and 5% by mass. A new method of decomposition of the produced biocomposites was developed. For this purpose, the composting process uses complex sugars in the form of beet molasses. This action is based on Stevenson's theory of protein-sugar condensation. Thus, the validity of this theory was confirmed, as research showed that this modification significantly influences the acceleration of the composting process of the produced biomaterials. For each phase of the process, the parameters of accelerated composting were defined by determining the temperature, degree of humidity, and quantitative scale of acidity and alkalinity. The degree of decomposition of biocomposites was assessed based on microbiological tests, hardness, weight loss, viscosity-average molecular weight tests, and structure assessment using macro and microscopic examinations (SEM). Based on the microbial tests, it was shown that composting also seems to be an alternative method of infectious waste disposal in the case of using biocomposites for products, e.g., medical products.