• KOREAN JOURNAL OF PACKAGING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.159-167
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• 2021

The need for biodegradable plastic continues to increase, improvement of physical properties is necessary for actual use in the market. In this study, composite film was produced by adding peroxide additives to bioplastic according to concentration to investigate changes in the melt index, elongation, morphology, and TGA of the composite film. The addition of peroxide compatibilizer showed superior elongation of film and TGA compared to those of control. The added amount of compatibilizer affected the extrusion process, and it was revealed that adding an appropriate amount of peroxidizer is important. Analysis of the composite film's morphology revealed a heterogeneous dispersion sequence due to different rates of crystallization depending on the resin, and surface physical properties were best in the group added with 4% peroxide. The results above showed that the test group added with 4% peroxide compatibilizer was superior in the production of composite biodegradable film.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.1076-1083
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• 2023

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) is a biodegradable and biocompatible bioplastic. Effective PHB degradation in nutrient-poor environments is required for industrial and practical applications of PHB. To screen for PHB-degrading strains, PHB double-layer plates were prepared and three new Bacillus infantis species with PHB-degrading ability were isolated from the soil. In addition, phaZ and bdhA of all isolated B. infantis were confirmed using a Bacillus sp. universal primer set and established polymerase chain reaction conditions. To evaluate the effective PHB degradation ability under nutrient-deficient conditions, PHB film degradation was performed in mineral medium, resulting in a PHB degradation rate of 98.71% for B. infantis PD3, which was confirmed in 5 d. Physical changes in the degraded PHB films were analyzed. The decrease in molecular weight due to biodegradation was confirmed using gel permeation chromatography and surface erosion of the PHB film was observed using scanning electron microscopy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on B. infantis showing its excellent PHB degradation ability and is expected to contribute to PHB commercialization and industrial composting.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF PACKAGING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2023

In this study, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and Poly(butylene-adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) composite films containing calcined oyster shell powder (OSP) were evaluated for the applicability of antimicrobial packaging. PLA/PBAT-OSP composite films were prepared using twin-screw extruder. The OSP composite was incorporated into PLA/PBAT blend with different ratios (0, 1, 3, 5 and 10%) and the effect of OSP in the PLA/PBAT matrix was evaluated. The PLA/PBAT-OSP composite films were evaluated for properties using FT-IR, SEM, TGA, DSC, UTM, UV-vis, and Contact angle, as well as antimicrobial property was examined according to ISO 22196 - Antimicrobial Plastic Test. As OSP was added, it showed high antimicrobial activities for both Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria. On the other hand, it was found that mechanical properties decreased as OSP was added. For the application of PLA/PBAT-OSP composite films as an antimicrobial packaging material, it is necessary to improve the dispersibility of OSP in the PLA/PBAT composite films and their physical properties at the same time.