Eco-friendly polyesteramide (PEA); OK biodegradable Marine

News_Nylon-based products such as clothing and fishing nets are notoriously slow to degrade, especially in marine environments, contributing significantlyn to global ocean pollution

A Korean research team (Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT)) has now developed an innovative material (polyesteramide (PEA)) that can be produced using existing manufacturing infrastructure and effectively addresses this problem. The research is published in Advanced Materials.

The (PEA) polymer decomposes by over 92% in one year under real marine conditions, while maintaining strength and flexibility comparable to nylon. It is recyclable, and applicable textiles, fishing nets, and food packaging.

Unlike conventional biodegradable plastics that suffer from low durability and heat resistance, the PEA polymer combines ester (for biodegradability) and amide (for toughness) linkages in an optimal ratio. This design offers both high degradability and mechanical durability.

Marine biodegradability tests conducted off the coast of Pohang showed that the new PEA achieved up to 92.1% degradation within one year—significantly outperforming existing biodegradable plastics such as PLA (0.1%), PBS (35.9%), and PBAT (21.1%).

https://phys.org/news/2025-05-marine-biodegradable-polymer-

2025   May  14   ,

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