Cellulose Acetate as a Versatile Biopolymer

Plastic plays an important role in modern life, but it also brings sustainability challenges due to its persistence in the environment and the lack of green end-of-life options. Researchers have been actively working on new strategies to mitigate these concerns and produce sustainable alternatives for specifically single-use applications. Cellulose acetate, a cellulose-derived monomer, has emerged as a promising alternative. It offers tunable properties through its degree of substitution, allowing a balance between durability and biodegradability. This seminar examines cellulose acetate's potential across several applications of single-use plastic and displays the versatility that the polymer offers in applications such as drinking straws, paper coating applications, and as an extruded blend polymer.