PHD
  1. Inorganic chemistry  1.1. Coordination chemistry  1.1.1. Ligand field theory  1.1.2. Crystal field theory  1.1.3. Molecular Orbital Theory for Coordination Compounds  1.1.4. Stability of Coordination Compounds  1.1.5. Electronic spectra of coordination compounds  1.1.6. Isomerism in Coordination Compounds  1.1.7. Kinetics and mechanism of coordination reactions  1.2. Organometallic Chemistry  1.2.1. Metal Carbonyls  1.2.2. Metal alkyl and aryl  1.2.3. Fischer and Schrock carbonaceans  1.2.4. Oxidative Addition and Reductive Elimination  1.2.5. Metal Hydrides  1.2.6. Catalysis by organometallic compounds  1.2.7. Metallocenes and Sandwich Complexes  1.2.8. CH activation  1.3. Solid state chemistry  1.3.1. Crystal structures and lattices  1.3.2. Band theory and electrical properties  1.3.3. Defects in the crystal  1.3.4. Synthesis of solid state materials  1.3.5. Magnetic and optical properties of solids  1.3.6. Superconductivity  1.3.7. Solid state ionics  1.4. Bio-inorganic chemistry  1.4.1. Metalloproteins and enzymes  1.4.2. Metal ion transport and storage  1.4.3. The role of metals in medicine  1.4.4. Bioinspired catalysis  1.4.5. Metal–DNA interactions  1.4.6. Metal Complexes in Medical Science  1.5. Lanthanides and Actinides  1.5.1. Electronic configuration and oxidation states in lanthanides and actinides  1.5.2. Spectral and Magnetic Properties in Lanthanides and Actinides  1.5.3. Separation and Extraction of Lanthanides and Actinides  1.5.4. Coordination chemistry of f-block elements  1.6. Main Group Chemistry  1.6.1. Chemistry of boron compounds  1.6.2. Chemistry of Silicon and Germanium Compounds  1.6.3. Chemistry of Phosphorus and Sulfur Compounds  1.6.4. Organosilicon chemistry  1.6.5. Noble Gas Chemistry
  2. Organic chemistry  2.1. Reaction mechanism  2.1.1. Nucleophilic substitution reactions  2.1.2. Electrophilic addition and substitution reactions  2.1.3. Elimination reactions  2.1.4. Rearrangement reactions  2.1.5. Radical reactions  2.1.6. Pericyclic Reactions  2.1.7. Photochemical reactions  2.2. Stereoscopic  2.2.1. Chirality and optical activity  2.2.2. Structural analysis  2.2.3. Stereoelectronic effects  2.2.4. Asymmetric synthesis  2.2.5. Dynamic Stereochemistry  2.3. Organometallic Chemistry in Organic Synthesis  2.3.1. Organolithium and organomagnesium reagents  2.3.2. Transition metal catalyzed coupling reactions  2.3.3. Palladium-catalyzed reactions  2.3.4. Olefin Metathesis  2.3.5. Gold and silver catalysis  2.4. Natural products chemistry  2.4.1. Alkaloids and terpenoids  2.4.2. Steroids and Flavonoids  2.4.3. Total synthesis of natural products  2.4.4. Biosynthesis of natural products  2.5. Supramolecular Chemistry  2.5.1. Host-Guest Chemistry  2.5.2. Self-assembly and molecular recognition  2.5.3. Supramolecular Catalysis  2.5.4. Molecular Machines
  3. Physical Chemistry  3.1. Thermodynamics  3.1.1. Laws of Thermodynamics  3.1.2. Chemical Potential and Equilibrium  3.1.3. Statistical thermodynamics  3.1.4. Non-equilibrium thermodynamics  3.2. Quantum Chemistry  3.2.1. Schrödinger equation and its applications  3.2.2. Molecular orbital theory  3.2.3. Density functional theory  3.2.4. Post-Hartree–Fock methods  3.3. Chemical kinetics  3.3.1. Reaction rate theory  3.3.2. Mechanism and rate laws  3.3.3. Catalysis and enzyme kinetics  3.3.4. Reaction dynamics  3.4. Spectroscopy and molecular structure  3.4.1. Infrared Spectroscopy  3.4.2. UV-visible spectroscopy  3.4.3. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy  3.4.4. Mass Spectrometry  3.4.5. Raman Spectroscopy  3.5. Surface and Colloid Chemistry  3.5.1. Absorption and Catalysis  3.5.2. Surfactants and micelles  3.5.3. Colloidal Stability  3.5.4. Nanomaterials and Interfaces
  4. Analytical chemistry  4.1. Chromatography  4.1.1. Gas Chromatography  4.1.2. High Performance Liquid Chromatography  4.1.3. Thin Layer Chromatography  4.1.4. Ion Chromatography  4.2. Electroanalytical techniques  4.2.1. Voltammetry and Polarography  4.2.2. Conductometry and potentiometry  4.2.3. Colometry  4.3. Spectroscopic Methods  4.3.1. Atomic absorption spectroscopy  4.3.2. Fluorescence Spectroscopy  4.3.3. X-ray diffraction  4.3.4. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy  4.4. Chemometrics  4.4.1. Data processing and statistical methods  4.4.2. Multidisciplinary analysis  4.4.3. Machine Learning in Analytical Chemistry
  5. Theoretical and Computational Chemistry  5.1. Molecular dynamics simulation  5.2. Quantum chemistry methods  5.3. Computational drug design  5.4. Machine Learning in Chemistry  5.5. Ab initio molecular dynamics
  6. Biophysics and Medicinal Chemistry  6.1. Drug discovery and design  6.2. Enzyme kinetics and inhibition  6.3. Chemical biology approach  6.4. Protein-ligand interactions  6.5. Bioorthogonal chemistry
  7. Materials chemistry  7.1. Polymer chemistry  7.1.1. Polymerization mechanism  7.1.2. Functional Polymers  7.1.3. Biodegradable Polymer  7.1.4. Conducting and semiconducting polymers  7.2. Nano Chemistry  7.2.1. Nanoparticles and nanostructures  7.2.2. Carbon-based nanomaterials  7.2.3. Quantum dots  7.3. Energy and Environmental Chemistry  7.3.1. Battery and Fuel Cell Chemistry  7.3.2. Green chemistry and sustainable materials  7.3.3. Photocatalysis

PHD → Materials chemistry → Polymer chemistry ↓


Biodegradable Polymer


Biodegradable polymers are a fascinating and important area in the field of polymer chemistry, especially as the world moves toward more sustainable and environmentally friendly materials. In today's world, the emphasis on reducing environmental pollution, especially that caused by plastic waste, has focused attention on developing materials that can decompose safely in the natural environment. This detailed description dives into the complexity and richness of biodegradable polymers, while explaining the concepts in an accessible manner.

What are biodegradable polymers?

Biodegradable polymers are a class of polymers that decompose after their intended purpose into natural byproducts such as gases (CO2, N2), water, biomass, and inorganic salts. The decomposition of these polymers occurs by the action of naturally occurring microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and algae.

Structure of biodegradable polymers

The chemical structure of biodegradable polymers is designed in such a way that they are able to undergo enzymatic and hydrolytic mechanisms that lead to their disintegration. Generally, these polymers are characterized by the presence of functional groups that are sensitive to environmental interactions such as moisture, temperature, and microbial action. For example, ester, amide, and ether bonds are often incorporated into the polymer backbone to facilitate biodegradation.

Types of biodegradable polymers

Biodegradable polymers can be broadly classified into two categories:

  • Natural biodegradable polymers: These are derived from natural sources. Examples include polysaccharides such as starch and cellulose, and proteins such as gelatin and silk.
  • Synthetic biodegradable polymers: These are man-made polymers designed for biodegradability. Examples include polyglycolic acid (PGA), polylactic acid (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL).

Chemistry of biodegradable polymers

To understand how biodegradable polymers work, let's take a deeper look at their chemistry.

Polylactic acid (PLA)

n(C3H6O3) → (C3H4O2)n + nH2O

PLA is one of the most widely used biodegradable polymers. It is synthesized through the polymerization of lactic acid, which can be obtained from renewable resources such as corn starch and sugar cane. The ester bonds in PLA are susceptible to hydrolysis, causing the polymer to break down into lactic acid over time, which can then be metabolized by microorganisms.

Polyglycolic acid (PGA)

n(C2H4O3) → (C2H2O2)n + nH2O

PGA is another important biodegradable polymer, known for its high strength and ability to decompose into glycolic acid. Like PLA, PGA contains ester linkages that are split by hydrolysis, making it ideal for medical applications such as sutures.

Applications of biodegradable polymers

The utility of biodegradable polymers extends across many industries, especially in packaging, agriculture, medicine, etc.

Medical applications

In the medical field, biodegradable polymers have revolutionized the way implants and devices are used in the body. Since these materials eventually break down, they eliminate the need for additional surgery to remove devices. Some notable applications include:

  • Sutures: Made from PGA and PLA, these sutures dissolve over time, eliminating the need for their removal.
  • Drug delivery: Biodegradable polymers can absorb drugs and slowly release them into the body as they degrade.
  • Tissue engineering: Structures made from biodegradable polymers support the growth of new tissue, then break down, leaving natural tissue behind.

Environmental impact and packaging

With the environmental crisis posed by conventional plastics, biodegradable polymers serve as excellent alternatives for packaging materials. These can be used to make biodegradable bags, films, and containers, thereby reducing landfill waste and environmental pollution.

Benefits of biodegradable polymers

Using biodegradable polymers offers several benefits:

  • Environmental benefits: Reduction in carbon footprint of landfill waste and materials.
  • Sustainability: Many biodegradable polymers are derived from renewable resources.
  • Low toxicity: These polymers often break down into non-toxic products.

Challenges in the implementation of biodegradable polymers

Despite their many advantages, several challenges hinder the widespread adoption of biodegradable polymers:

  • Cost: Biodegradable polymers can be more expensive to produce than traditional plastics.
  • Performance: Not all biodegradable polymers have the same mechanical properties as their non-biodegradable counterparts.
  • Recycling: Infrastructure for recycling biodegradable polymers is still under development.

The future of biodegradable polymers

Research on biodegradable polymers continues, with significant progress being made in the development of new materials with improved properties. The focus is on increasing their strength, versatility, and production efficiency while reducing costs. Thus, the future of biodegradable polymers looks promising in addressing environmental issues and advancing materials science.

Developing hybrids by combining natural and synthetic biodegradable polymers is an exciting area, potentially leading to new materials that leverage the advantages of both classes. In this way, biodegradable polymers will continue to play a key role in paving the way to a sustainable and environmentally friendly future.


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Biodegradable Polymer

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