Biodegradable articles comprising decomposition products from biodegradable materials and related methods

Abstract

The present disclosure describes articles comprising decomposition products from biodegradable compounds and related methods.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Articles comprising a biodegradable material and an intrinsic binder comprising decomposition products of the biodegradable material and methods for their production are generally described. Background Art

[0002] In a pristine, natural, non-human-influenced world, "waste" would not exist, where everything produced as output would be a useful input into another system, thereby serving as an important component of nutrients to be recycled and as a participant in multiple ecosystems. Of course, in a human-influenced world, the sheer volume of waste streams produced worldwide would be enough to negatively impact the Earth.

[0003] One-third of all food produced globally today is wasted; agriculture and food systems produce a staggering 1.3 billion tons that go uneaten. As a result of this waste, the construction industry is one of the largest contributors to the climate crisis. The World Economic Forum has highlighted waste in the construction industry as a major sustainability challenge, projecting annual waste volumes to rise to 2.2 billion tons per year by 2025. Therefore, products and methods for reducing and / or recycling waste and repurposing it into useful products would be beneficial. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure describes articles comprising biodegradable materials that are at least partially held together by an intrinsic binder derived from the biodegradable material itself (e.g., an intrinsic binder comprising decomposition products of the biodegradable product). Decomposition products derived from a variety of waste feedstocks (e.g., discarded orange peels, coffee chaff, and other common organic waste from households and various industries) can be produced and used. These decomposition products can form an intrinsic binder that bonds portions of the remaining biodegradable material (e.g., degradable material) of the article. The present disclosure also describes methods for producing articles comprising intrinsic binders. In some cases, the subject matter of the present disclosure relates to interrelated products, alternative solutions to a particular problem, and / or a plurality of different uses of one or more systems and / or articles.

[0005] In one aspect, an article is described that includes: a biodegradable material that includes lignin by weight greater than or equal to 17% and / or less than or equal to 31% by weight and has a first portion and a second portion; and an intrinsic binder that includes decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein: the article has a thickness greater than or equal to 1 mm and / or less than or equal to 25 mm; the article has a porosity greater than or equal to 25% and less than or equal to 80%; the density of the biodegradable material and / or the intrinsic binder is greater than or equal to 0.8 g / cm 3 and less than or equal to 1.5g / cm3 ; and the amount of glucan in the product is less than or equal to 47% by weight.

[0006] In another aspect, an article is described that includes: a biodegradable material that includes lignin by weight greater than or equal to 17% and / or less than or equal to 31% by weight and has a first portion and a second portion; and an intrinsic binder that includes decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein: the article has a thickness greater than or equal to 1 mm and / or less than or equal to 25 mm; the article has a porosity greater than or equal to 25% and less than or equal to 80%; the density of the biodegradable material and / or the intrinsic binder is greater than or equal to 0.8 g / cm 3 and less than or equal to 1.5g / cm 3 ; and the amount of glucan in the preparation is greater than or equal to 54% by weight.

[0007] In another aspect, an article is described, comprising: a biodegradable material comprising greater than or equal to 0.05 wt% and / or less than or equal to 7 wt% lignin and having a first portion and a second portion; and an intrinsic binder comprising decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein the intrinsic binder is bonded to the first portion and the second portion of the biodegradable material, wherein: the article has a thickness greater than or equal to 1 mm and / or less than or equal to 25 mm; the article has a porosity greater than or equal to 25% and less than or equal to 80%; and the article has a density greater than or equal to 0.3 g / cm 3 and less than or equal to 1.8g / cm 3 and the amount of glucan in the preparation is not between 47% and 54% by weight.

[0008] In another aspect, an article is described, comprising: a biodegradable material comprising greater than or equal to 0.05 wt% and / or less than or equal to 7 wt% lignin and having a first portion and a second portion; and an intrinsic binder comprising decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein the intrinsic binder is bonded to the first portion and the second portion of the biodegradable material, wherein: the article has a thickness greater than or equal to 1 mm and / or less than or equal to 25 mm; the article has a porosity greater than or equal to 25% and less than or equal to 80%; and the article has a density greater than or equal to 0.3 g / cm 3 and less than or equal to 1.8g / cm 3 ; and the amount of glucan in the product is less than or equal to 47% by weight.

[0009] In another aspect, an article is described, comprising: a biodegradable material comprising greater than or equal to 0.05 wt% and / or less than or equal to 7 wt% lignin and having a first portion and a second portion; and an intrinsic binder comprising decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein the intrinsic binder is bonded to the first portion and the second portion of the biodegradable material, wherein: the article has a thickness greater than or equal to 1 mm and / or less than or equal to 25 mm; the article has a porosity greater than or equal to 25% and less than or equal to 80%; and the article has a density greater than or equal to 0.3 g / cm 3 and less than or equal to 1.8g / cm 3 ; and the amount of glucan in the preparation is greater than or equal to 54% by weight.

[0010] In another aspect, an article is described, comprising: a biodegradable material comprising greater than or equal to 0.05 wt% and / or less than or equal to 7 wt% lignin and having a first portion and a second portion; and an intrinsic binder comprising decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein the intrinsic binder is bonded to the first portion and the second portion of the biodegradable material, wherein: the article has a thickness greater than or equal to 1 mm and / or less than or equal to 25 mm; the article has a porosity greater than or equal to 25% and less than or equal to 80%; and the article has a density greater than or equal to 0.3 g / cm 3 and less than or equal to 1.8g / cm 3 and the amount of glucan in the preparation is not between 47% and 54% by weight.

[0011] In a different aspect, a method is described, comprising: performing the following steps on a biodegradable material comprising a weight percent lignin greater than or equal to 0.05 weight percent and / or less than or equal to 7 weight percent and having a first portion and a second portion: reducing the particle size of the biodegradable material to an average diameter less than or equal to 10 mm and / or greater than or equal to 1 mm; degrading at least a portion of the biodegradable material into decomposition products of the biodegradable material and the degraded material; forming an intrinsic binder comprising the decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein the intrinsic binder is bonded to the first portion and the second portion of the biodegradable material, wherein the amount of glucan in the article is less than or equal to 47 weight percent.

[0012] In another aspect, a method is described, comprising: performing the following steps on a biodegradable material comprising a weight percent lignin greater than or equal to 0.05 weight percent and / or less than or equal to 7 weight percent and having a first portion and a second portion: reducing the particle size of the biodegradable material to an average diameter less than or equal to 10 mm and / or greater than or equal to 1 mm; degrading at least a portion of the biodegradable material into decomposition products of the biodegradable material and degraded material; forming an intrinsic binder comprising the decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein the intrinsic binder is bonded to the first portion and the second portion of the biodegradable material, wherein the amount of glucan in the article is greater than or equal to 54 weight percent.

[0013] In yet another aspect, a method is described, comprising: performing the following steps on a biodegradable material comprising a weight percent lignin greater than or equal to 17 weight percent and / or less than or equal to 31 weight percent and having a first portion and a second portion: reducing the particle size of the biodegradable material to an average diameter less than or equal to 0.005 mm and / or greater than or equal to 15 mm; degrading at least a portion of the biodegradable material into decomposition products of the biodegradable material and a degraded material; forming an intrinsic binder comprising the decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein the intrinsic binder is bonded to the first portion and the second portion of the biodegradable material, wherein the amount of glucan in the article is not between 47 weight percent and 54 weight percent.

[0014] In a different aspect, a method is described, comprising: performing the following steps on a biodegradable material comprising a weight percent lignin greater than or equal to 0.05 weight percent and / or less than or equal to 7 weight percent and having a first portion and a second portion: reducing the particle size of the biodegradable material to an average diameter less than or equal to 10 mm and / or greater than or equal to 1 mm; degrading at least a portion of the biodegradable material into decomposition products of the biodegradable material and the degraded material; forming an intrinsic binder comprising the decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein the intrinsic binder is bonded to the first portion and the second portion of the biodegradable material, wherein the amount of glucan in the article is less than or equal to 47 weight percent.

[0015] In a different aspect, a method is described, comprising: performing the following steps on a biodegradable material comprising a weight percent lignin greater than or equal to 0.05 weight percent and / or less than or equal to 7 weight percent and having a first portion and a second portion: reducing the particle size of the biodegradable material to an average diameter less than or equal to 10 mm and / or greater than or equal to 1 mm; degrading at least a portion of the biodegradable material into decomposition products of the biodegradable material and degraded material; forming an intrinsic binder comprising the decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein the intrinsic binder is bonded to the first portion and the second portion of the biodegradable material, wherein the amount of glucan in the article is greater than or equal to 54 weight percent.

[0016] In yet another aspect, a method is described, comprising: performing the following steps on a biodegradable material comprising a weight percent lignin greater than or equal to 17 weight percent and / or less than or equal to 31 weight percent and having a first portion and a second portion: reducing the particle size of the biodegradable material to an average diameter less than or equal to 0.005 mm and / or greater than or equal to 15 mm; degrading at least a portion of the biodegradable material into decomposition products of the biodegradable material and a degraded material; forming an intrinsic binder comprising the decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein the intrinsic binder is bonded to the first portion and the second portion of the biodegradable material, wherein the amount of glucan in the article is not between 47 weight percent and 54 weight percent.

[0017] Other advantages and novel features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of multiple non-limiting embodiments of the present invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the event that this specification and the documents incorporated by reference include conflicting and / or inconsistent disclosures, this specification shall prevail. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are schematic and not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component shown is generally represented by a single reference numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component is labeled in every figure, nor is every component of every embodiment of the invention shown, where illustration is not required for one of ordinary skill in the art to understand the present invention. In the drawings:

[0019] Figures 1A to 1C Methods for forming articles from biodegradable materials are shown according to some embodiments; and

[0020] Figure 2 is an illustrative example showing a surface finish of an article according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Products (e.g., pads) have been described by the following disclosure, and the products can be used and recyclable products that are applicable to multiple purposes (including construction, packaging and insulation) by recycling common organic waste to reduce the amount of this waste material. These applications and other applications are described in more detail below. Products described herein derived from waste materials have found a balance between biodegradability and robustness, and biodegradability is in order not to produce future waste products, and robustness is in order to meet the needs of users (e.g., flexibility, rigidity, water resistance). Adopt this basic principle of waste material, this " waste material " can be converted into the valuable products (e.g., pads) that can be recycled and recovered. The waste stream of a wide range can be used as raw material to manufacture products (e.g., pads, composite materials) with adjustable characteristics (e.g., adjustable mechanical characteristics (e.g., flexibility, rigidity, thermoplastic behavior) and / or adjustable chemical characteristics (e.g., water resistance)).

[0022] Also described are methods for converting waste materials (e.g., excess resources, byproducts from existing industries) into articles having desirable properties suitable for high-demand applications and products. These methods include a variety of processing techniques, including grinding, shredding, milling (e.g., hammer milling, ball milling), acid treatment, pressing, and / or steam treatment (e.g., steam explosion). Other techniques may also be included and are described in more detail below.

[0023] Various embodiments describe biodegradable articles comprising an intrinsic binder, wherein the intrinsic binder comprises decomposition products of a biodegradable material of the article; and methods for processing such biodegradable materials (e.g., waste feedstock, such as discarded orange peels, coffee husks) to produce decomposition products of the biodegradable material, which can reduce or eliminate the need for additional additives (e.g., external binders) to the article. In some embodiments, one or more decomposition products can form (at least in part) an intrinsic binder, which can bind the remaining biodegradable material (e.g., particles of biodegradable material and / or degraded biodegradable material) to itself, thereby forming an article comprising the biodegradable material and the remaining biodegradable material and the intrinsic binder.

[0024] By comparison, many existing materials produced by biodegradable waste raw materials need to include external binders to keep the raw materials (i.e., remaining raw material particles) together as a cohesive unit. For example, a kind of existing material can be prepared by waste wood pulp derived from industrial processes. Wood pulp can be processed by chopping the wood pulp into smaller pieces, and the smaller pieces are kept together by external binders that adhere the chopped wood pulp pieces to each other. However, these external binders may, for example, negatively affect the resulting properties of the material by making the material too hard or reducing the recyclability or reusability of the material.

[0025] It has been recognized in the context of the present disclosure that the use of articles and methods provided herein can significantly reduce, and in some cases eliminate, the amount of external binders (and / or other additives).By processing biodegradable waste raw materials (e.g., biodegradable materials) to release certain decomposition products, these decomposition products can form a binder (binder) (i.e., intrinsic binder) that can serve as a bonding agent (binding agent) directly derived from biodegradable materials. That is, in some embodiments, biodegradable materials (e.g., biodegradable materials from waste raw materials) are processed into an intrinsic binder that makes at least a portion of biodegradable materials produce the decomposition products comprising biodegradable materials. This intrinsic binder can be used to keep together the remainder of biodegradable materials (e.g., degradation material, part of biodegradable materials) and / or the other components of the articles comprising the intrinsic binder.

[0026] In some cases, an external binder may be added, but the amount of such external binder required to hold the remaining raw material together is less than would be required in the absence of an intrinsic binder, thereby mitigating or eliminating the negative properties imparted to comparable existing materials that have an external binder but not an intrinsic binder. In other cases, however, no external binder is added at all, and the article is held together (at least in part) by the intrinsic binder.

[0027] As mentioned above, in some embodiments, biodegradable material is processed to produce decomposition products. In some embodiments, decomposition products comprise organic polymers (e.g., cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose). In some such embodiments, intrinsic binding agents are formed at least in part by decomposition products. In some such embodiments, a plurality of decomposition products of biodegradable material can be produced, and at least some of these decomposition products form intrinsic binding agents. It is not necessary for biodegradable material to be completely decomposed to form decomposition products. For many embodiments, biodegradable material is only partially degraded so that it forms decomposition products and degradation materials, and degradation materials include the decomposition parts of biodegradable material. Then, the intrinsic binding agent can bond the remainder of the biodegradable material to the degradation material to form a cohesive unit, thereby bonding the parts of the biodegradable material to each other and / or to the parts of the degradation material.

[0028] However, it should be understood that for some embodiments, the biodegradable material is processed such that most or all of the biodegradable material is converted into one or more decomposition products, such that the article (e.g., a mat) comprises portions of the biodegradable material held together by an intrinsic binder comprising one or more decomposition products, wherein there is little to no degraded material within the article. That is, in some embodiments, the article comprises portions of the biodegradable material held together by an intrinsic binder, wherein there is little to no degraded material within the article.

[0029] In some embodiments, the article comprises a biodegradable material and a relatively high amount of a degradable material. In some embodiments, the amount of the degradable material in the article is greater than or equal to 20 weight percent, greater than or equal to 30 weight percent, greater than or equal to 40 weight percent, greater than or equal to 45 weight percent, greater than or equal to 50 weight percent, greater than or equal to 55 weight percent, greater than or equal to 60 weight percent, greater than or equal to 65 weight percent, greater than or equal to 70 weight percent, greater than or equal to 75 weight percent, greater than or equal to 80 weight percent, greater than or equal to 85 weight percent, or greater than or equal to 90 weight percent, relative to the total weight of the article. In some embodiments, the amount of degradable material in the article is less than or equal to 90% by weight, less than or equal to 85% by weight, less than or equal to 80% by weight, less than or equal to 75% by weight, less than or equal to 70% by weight, less than or equal to 65% by weight, less than or equal to 60% by weight, less than or equal to 55% by weight, less than or equal to 50% by weight, less than or equal to 45% by weight, less than or equal to 40% by weight, less than or equal to 30% by weight, or less than or equal to 20% by weight, relative to the total weight of the article. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 40% by weight and less than or equal to 90% by weight). Other ranges are possible. The remaining weight percentage of the article (e.g., relative to a total of 100% by weight) can be biodegradable material, intrinsic binder, and / or other additives (e.g., external binder, antimicrobial agent).

[0030] In some embodiments, the article comprises a biodegradable material and a relatively low amount of degradable material. In some embodiments, relative to the total weight of the article, the amount of degradable material in the article is less than or equal to 20% by weight, less than or equal to 15% by weight, less than or equal to 12% by weight, less than or equal to 10% by weight, less than or equal to 9% by weight, less than or equal to 7% by weight, less than or equal to 5% by weight, less than or equal to 3% by weight, less than or equal to 2% by weight, less than or equal to 1% by weight, or less than or equal to 0.1% by weight. In some embodiments, relative to the total weight of the article, the amount of degradable material in the article is greater than or equal to 0.1% by weight, greater than or equal to 1% by weight, greater than or equal to 2% by weight, greater than or equal to 3% by weight, greater than or equal to 5% by weight, greater than or equal to 7% by weight, greater than or equal to 9% by weight, greater than or equal to 10% by weight, greater than or equal to 12% by weight, greater than or equal to 15% by weight, or greater than or equal to 20% by weight. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 0.1% by weight and less than or equal to 20% by weight). Other ranges are possible. In some embodiments, the article does not contain degradable materials. The remaining weight percentage of the article (eg, relative to a total of 100 weight %) can be biodegradable materials, intrinsic binders, and / or other additives (eg, external binders, antimicrobial agents).

[0031] As described above, the articles described herein comprise a biodegradable material that can be decomposed (or at least partially decomposed) to form a degradable material and decomposition products of the biodegradable material. The decomposition products, at least a portion of the decomposition products, and / or further decomposition products of the decomposition products can form an intrinsic binder, wherein the intrinsic binder is bonded to a portion (e.g., a first portion, a second portion) of the biodegradable material. That is, in some embodiments, the intrinsic binder comprises a decomposition product of a biodegradable material, wherein the intrinsic binder is bonded to the first portion and the second portion of the biodegradable material. In some embodiments, one or more decomposition compounds comprise one or more functional groups (e.g., -OH, -NH2, -NH-) that promote crosslinking with adjacent substances (e.g., crosslinking between portions of the biodegradable portion, crosslinking between portions of the degradable material, crosslinking between portions of the biodegradable material and portions of the degradable material). Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, the biodegradable material can be broken down (e.g., to produce decomposition products of the biodegradable material) and contain structures (e.g., pockets, cracks) containing hydroxyl groups that can form hydrogen bonds (e.g., hydrogen bond donors and / or hydrogen bond acceptors) with other hydroxyl groups of the biodegradable material (e.g., the first portion of the biodegradable material) and / or other decomposition products.

[0032] In some embodiments, biodegradable material is processed (for example, grinding, chopping) into the particle that forms biodegradable material.The details about processing are described in more detail below, but, in brief, multiple embodiments can include the biodegradable material as the particle of biodegradable material.In some such embodiments, intrinsic binding agent (for example, the intrinsic binding agent of one or more decomposition products comprising biodegradable material) can make at least a portion of the particle of biodegradable material and / or degradation material (for example, the particle of degradation material) crosslink.In some such embodiments, intrinsic binding agent forms the network (for example, crosslinking) of key in whole goods.In some such embodiments, goods can then be shaped into sheet or pad.

[0033] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the biodegradable material is cross-linked so that there is a bond connecting two or more components (e.g., two or more biodegradable parts are connected to each other, two or more parts of a degradable material, two or more parts of a biodegradable material and / or a degradable material) through at least a portion of an intrinsic binder. For example, an article can have a specific percentage of cross-linked material (e.g., by weight), wherein a portion of the biodegradable material (e.g., a first portion) can be connected to at least a portion of the intrinsic binder and another portion of the biodegradable material (e.g., a second portion). In some embodiments, the cross-linked bond is a covalent bond. In some embodiments, the cross-linked bond is non-covalent (e.g., an ionic bond, a hydrogen bond, a dipole-dipole interaction, a London dispersion force). In some embodiments, cross-linking comprises a combination of covalent and / or non-covalent interactions.

[0034] In some embodiments, the article is greater than or equal to 20% cross-linked by weight. That is, greater than or equal to 20% by weight of the biodegradable material (e.g., portions of the biodegradable material, particles of the biodegradable material) comprising the article is cross-linked (e.g., via an intrinsic binder). In some embodiments, greater than or equal to 20% by weight, greater than or equal to 30% by weight, greater than or equal to 40% by weight, greater than or equal to 50% by weight, greater than or equal to 60% by weight, greater than or equal to 70% by weight, greater than or equal to 80% by weight, greater than or equal to 90% by weight, greater than or equal to 95% by weight, greater than or equal to 99% by weight, greater than or equal to 99.9% by weight, or greater than or equal to 99.99% by weight of the article is cross-linked via an intrinsic binder. In some embodiments, less than or equal to 99.99 weight percent, less than or equal to 99.9 weight percent, less than or equal to 99 weight percent, less than or equal to 95 weight percent, less than or equal to 90 weight percent, less than or equal to 80 weight percent, less than or equal to 70 weight percent, less than or equal to 60 weight percent, less than or equal to 50 weight percent, less than or equal to 40 weight percent, less than or equal to 30 weight percent, or less than or equal to 20 weight percent of the article is cross-linked. Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 20 weight percent and less than or equal to 99.99 weight percent). Other ranges are possible.

[0035] In some embodiments, biodegradable materials are used to form articles. For example, Figure 1A A method 100 is shown for forming an article comprising a feedstock material that is or includes. Figure 1A In the embodiment, the reactor 110 is filled with a biodegradable material 120A comprising a first size. As described in more detail below, in some embodiments, the size of the biodegradable material can be reduced. For example, in Figure 1AIn the embodiment of the present invention, a first-scale biodegradable material 120 is processed (process 140) into a second-scale biodegradable material 125 of a smaller size. During and / or after the processing step 140, an intrinsic binder 130 can be formed from the decomposition products of the biodegradable material and can crosslink (e.g., via a bonding step 142) or otherwise bond together portions of the second-scale biodegradable material 120B. In some embodiments, the intrinsic binder also bonds portions of the degradable material (e.g., partially decomposed biodegradable material). For example, in Figure 1A In the embodiment, the intrinsic adhesive 130 bonds the degradation material 122 to other portions of the degradation material 122 and the second size of the biodegradable material 120B.

[0036] In some embodiments, in addition to the intrinsic binder, an external binder is added to the biodegradable material. For example, Figure 1B The process 144 includes an external binder 135 that has been added, and both the intrinsic binder 130 and the external binder 135 crosslink or otherwise bind together the second dimension of the biodegradable material 120B. In some such embodiments, both the intrinsic binder and the external binder hold the biodegradable material together (e.g., bind particles of the biodegradable material to each other), such as Figure 1B As shown in the cross-linked material 139.

[0037] Can be used Figure 1A to Figure 1B to form an article. Figure 1C In the embodiment of the present invention, the cross-linked material 139 is compressed (compression 149) to form an article 160, which includes the biodegradable material and the cross-linked portions of the degradable material.

[0038] The articles described herein may have one or more advantageous properties as described herein. In a particular embodiment, the article comprises a biodegradable material having a weight percent lignin greater than or equal to 0.05 wt% and / or less than or equal to 7 wt%, and an intrinsic binder comprising decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein at least a portion of the intrinsic binder is bonded to at least a portion (e.g., the first portion, the second portion) of the biodegradable material via the intrinsic binder. The article has a thickness greater than or equal to 1 mm and / or less than or equal to 25 mm, a porosity greater than or equal to 25% and less than or equal to 80%, and a density greater than or equal to 0.3 g / cm 3 and less than or equal to 1.8g / cm 3 In some cases, the amount of glucan in the preparation is not between 47% and 54% by weight.

[0039] As described elsewhere herein, goods can comprise biodegradable materials, intrinsic binders and / or external binders.Biodegradable materials can comprise a variety of suitable materials.Non-limiting examples of biodegradable materials include orange peel, coffee shells, grass clippings, coconut waste (for example, coconut husk and / or shell), food waste, vegetation and / or biodegradable polymers (for example, polyhydroxyalkanoate).In some embodiments, biodegradable materials include hair (for example, human hair).In some embodiments, biodegradable materials include lignin, cellulose and / or hemicellulose.In some embodiments, biodegradable materials are selected to impart useful characteristics to the obtained goods, for example, anti-biodegradation effects.For example, in some embodiments, biodegradable materials include antimicrobial agents (for example, limonene), and the obtained goods also can have antimicrobial properties.Certainly, other characteristics are possible because present disclosure is not so limited, and other characteristics are described elsewhere herein.

[0040] In some embodiments, the biodegradable material comprises protein (e.g., keratin). In some embodiments, the weight percent of protein in the biodegradable material is greater than or equal to 15 weight percent, greater than or equal to 20 weight percent, greater than or equal to 30 weight percent, greater than or equal to 40 weight percent, greater than or equal to 50 weight percent, greater than or equal to 60 weight percent, greater than or equal to 70 weight percent, greater than or equal to 80 weight percent, greater than or equal to 90 weight percent, or greater than or equal to 95 weight percent, relative to the total weight of the biodegradable material. In some embodiments, the weight percent of protein in the biodegradable material is less than or equal to 95 weight percent, less than or equal to 90 weight percent, less than or equal to 80 weight percent, less than or equal to 70 weight percent, less than or equal to 60 weight percent, less than or equal to 50 weight percent, less than or equal to 40 weight percent, less than or equal to 30 weight percent, less than or equal to 20 weight percent, or less than or equal to 15 weight percent, relative to the total weight of the biodegradable material. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 15 weight percent and less than or equal to 95 weight percent). Other ranges are possible.

[0041] In some cases, the biodegradable material (e.g., the biodegradable material of the article) comprises lignin. In some embodiments, the weight percent of lignin in the biodegradable material, relative to the total weight of the biodegradable material, is greater than or equal to 0.05 weight percent, greater than or equal to 0.06 weight percent, greater than or equal to 0.01 weight percent, greater than or equal to 0.25 weight percent, greater than or equal to 0.5 weight percent, greater than or equal to 1 weight percent, greater than or equal to 2 weight percent, greater than or equal to 5 weight percent, greater than or equal to 10 weight percent, greater than or equal to 15 weight percent, greater than or equal to 20 weight percent, greater than or equal to 25 weight percent, greater than or equal to 30 weight percent, greater than or equal to 34 weight percent, greater than or equal to 35 weight percent, greater than or equal to 40 weight percent, greater than or equal to 45 weight percent, or greater than or equal to 50 weight percent. In some embodiments, the weight percent of lignin in the biodegradable material, relative to the total weight of the biodegradable material, is less than or equal to 50 weight percent, less than or equal to 45 weight percent, less than or equal to 40 weight percent, less than or equal to 35 weight percent, less than or equal to 34 weight percent, less than or equal to 30 weight percent, less than or equal to 25 weight percent, less than or equal to 20 weight percent, less than or equal to 15 weight percent, less than or equal to 10 weight percent, less than or equal to 5 weight percent, less than or equal to 2 weight percent, less than or equal to 1 weight percent, less than or equal to 0.5 weight percent, less than or equal to 0.25 weight percent, less than or equal to 0.01 weight percent, less than or equal to 0.06 weight percent, or less than or equal to 0.05 weight percent. Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 0.06 weight percent and less than or equal to 34 weight percent, greater than or equal to 0.05 weight percent and less than or equal to 7 weight percent). Other ranges are possible.

[0042] In some embodiments, the amount of cellulose in the biodegradable material is less than or equal to 17 wt %, less than or equal to 16 wt %, less than or equal to 15 wt %, less than or equal to 13 wt %, less than or equal to 11 wt %, less than or equal to 9 wt %, less than or equal to 7 wt %, or less than or equal to 6 wt %. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 6 wt % and less than or equal to 17 wt %). Other ranges are also possible.

[0043] In biodegradable material, the amount of hemicellulose is also possible. In some cases, relative to the gross weight of biodegradable material, the amount of hemicellulose in biodegradable material is greater than or equal to 6 % by weight, greater than or equal to 7 % by weight, greater than or equal to 8 % by weight, greater than or equal to 10 % by weight, greater than or equal to 12 % by weight, greater than or equal to 14 % by weight, greater than or equal to 16 % by weight or greater than or equal to 17 % by weight. In some embodiments, relative to the gross weight of biodegradable material, the amount of hemicellulose in biodegradable material is less than or equal to 17 % by weight, less than or equal to 16 % by weight, less than or equal to 15 % by weight, less than or equal to 13 % by weight, less than or equal to 11 % by weight, less than or equal to 9 % by weight, less than or equal to 7 % by weight or less than or equal to 6 % by weight. The combination of the above-mentioned range is also possible (for example, greater than or equal to 6 % by weight and less than or equal to 17 % by weight). Other scopes are also possible.

[0044] In some cases, the biodegradable material is processed (e.g., mechanically, chemically). As described elsewhere herein, processing can include one or more steps (e.g., multiple steps). In some embodiments, the biodegradable material is processed such that a first size or dimension (e.g., a first average diameter) of the biodegradable material is reduced to a second size or dimension of the biodegradable material.

[0045] In some cases, after processing (e.g., grinding, milling), the average diameter of the biodegradable material (e.g., the first size biodegradable material, the second size biodegradable material) can be less than or equal to 10 mm, less than or equal to 9 mm, less than or equal to 8 mm, less than or equal to 7 mm, less than or equal to 6 mm, less than or equal to 5 mm, less than or equal to 4 mm, less than or equal to 3 mm, less than or equal to 2 mm, or less than or equal to 1 mm. In some cases, the average diameter of the biodegradable material can be greater than or equal to 1 mm, greater than or equal to 2 mm, greater than or equal to 3 mm, greater than or equal to 4 mm, greater than or equal to 5 mm, greater than or equal to 6 mm, greater than or equal to 7 mm, greater than or equal to 8 mm, greater than or equal to 9 mm, or greater than or equal to 10 mm. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 2 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm). Other ranges are possible.

[0046] As described in some of the related details, the articles as described herein may comprise a biodegradable material and an intrinsic binder. In some cases, the intrinsic binder comprises decomposition products of the biodegradable material. In some such cases, as described elsewhere herein, at least a portion of the decomposition products forms the intrinsic binder. In some embodiments, the decomposition products form all of the intrinsic binder. In some embodiments, the decomposition products are configured to undergo one or more further reactions to form additional decomposition products of the biodegradable material, and these additional decomposition products may also form part or all of the intrinsic binder. Mixtures of decomposition products of the biodegradable material and / or additional decomposition products are possible. Therefore, in some such cases, at least a portion of the intrinsic binder comprises the intrinsic binder.

[0047] In some embodiments, the biodegradable material and / or the intrinsic binder comprises a substance (e.g., lignin, hemicellulose, etc.) such that processing of the substance exposes functional groups (e.g., -OH, -NH-). After exposure, the functional groups can combine with the degradable material, a portion of the biodegradable material, and / or other portions of the intrinsic binder to form a network of bonds between the biodegradable material, the intrinsic binder, and / or the external binder.

[0048] In some cases, the intrinsic binder crosslinks the biodegradable material and / or the intrinsic binder. According to some embodiments, at least a portion of the intrinsic binder is bonded to at least a portion of the biodegradable material (e.g., the first portion, the second portion) by the intrinsic binder. In some embodiments, the intrinsic binder is used to crosslink portions of the biodegradable material and / or other portions of the intrinsic binder to form an article (e.g., a mat, sheet, layer, composite material).

[0049] In some embodiments, a specific amount of intrinsic binder (e.g., an intrinsic binder comprising decomposition products of a biodegradable material) is present in the article. In some embodiments, the intrinsic binder is present in the article in an amount greater than or equal to 0.01%, greater than or equal to 0.02%, greater than or equal to 0.03%, greater than or equal to 0.05%, greater than or equal to 0.1%, greater than or equal to 0.15%, greater than or equal to 0.2%, greater than or equal to 0.3%, greater than or equal to 0.5%, greater than or equal to 1%, greater than or equal to 1.5%, greater than or equal to 2%, greater than or equal to 2.5%, greater than or equal to 3%, greater than or equal to 5%, greater than or equal to 10%, greater than or equal to 15%, greater than or equal to 20%, greater than or equal to 25%, or greater than or equal to 30% by weight relative to the total weight of the article. In some cases, the intrinsic binder is present at less than or equal to 30 wt %, less than or equal to 25 wt %, less than or equal to 20 wt %, less than or equal to 15 wt %, less than or equal to 10 wt %, less than or equal to 5 wt %, less than or equal to 3 wt %, less than or equal to 2.5 wt %, less than or equal to 2 wt %, less than or equal to 1.5 wt %, less than or equal to 1 wt %, less than or equal to 0.5 wt %, less than or equal to 0.3 wt %, less than or equal to 0.2 wt %, less than or equal to 0.15 wt %, less than or equal to 0.1 wt %, less than or equal to 0.05 wt %, less than or equal to 0.03 wt %, less than or equal to 0.02 wt %, or less than 0.01 wt %, relative to the total weight of the article. Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 0.01 wt % and less than or equal to 20 wt %, greater than or equal to 0.01 wt % and less than or equal to 30 wt %). Other ranges are also possible.

[0050] According to some embodiments, the goods comprising biodegradable materials, degradable materials and / or intrinsic binding agents can also include external binding agents. In some cases, external binding agents include tapioca starch, water and / or alkali. In some embodiments, external binding agents include starch, thermoplastic starch, pectin, cellulose, chitin, chitosan, lignin, tannin, rosin and or polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). In some cases, wherein external binding agents include starch, starch can be derived from multiple sources. For example, suitable starch sources include cassava, potato, corn, barley, sorghum and / or wheat. The combination of these starches is also possible (for example, tapioca starch and potato starch). In addition, the combination of external binding agents except different types of starch (for example, starch and cellulose) is also contemplated. Other combinations of external binding agents are also possible because present disclosure is not so limited.

[0051] In some cases, the external binder acts similarly to an intrinsic binder in that it can crosslink a biodegradable material (e.g., a portion of a biodegradable material), a degradable material, and / or an intrinsic binder (e.g., a portion of an intrinsic binder). That is, the external binder can crosslink a portion of a biodegradable material, a portion of a degradable material, and / or a portion of an intrinsic binder via covalent bonding and / or non-covalent bonding. However, it should be noted that the crosslinking performed by the external binder can be the same as the crosslinking performed by the intrinsic linker or does not need to be the same as the crosslinking performed by the intrinsic linker (e.g., chemically the same as the external binder, having the same composition as the external binder). As a non-limiting example, the external binder can use covalent bonds to crosslink a biodegradable material, a degradable material, and / or an intrinsic binder, while the intrinsic binder can use non-covalent bonds (e.g., ionic bonds, London dispersion forces) to crosslink a portion of a biodegradable material, a degradable material, and / or an intrinsic binder. In some cases, the external binder bonds at least a portion of a biodegradable material, at least a portion of a degradable material, and / or an intrinsic binder. Advantageously, in some embodiments, the presence of an external binder may not be necessary because the intrinsic binder can crosslink the biodegradable material, the degradable material, and / or other portions of the intrinsic binder to form the article without the need for an external binder. However, a relatively small amount of an external binder can be added to enhance the properties of the article (e.g., increase rigidity, increase hydrophobicity).

[0052] In some embodiments, a specific amount of external binder is present in the article. In some embodiments, the external binder is present in the article in an amount greater than or equal to 0.01 wt%, greater than or equal to 0.02 wt%, greater than or equal to 0.03 wt%, greater than or equal to 0.05 wt%, greater than or equal to 0.1 wt%, greater than or equal to 0.15 wt%, greater than or equal to 0.2 wt%, greater than or equal to 0.3 wt%, greater than or equal to 0.5 wt%, greater than or equal to 1 wt%, greater than or equal to 1.5 wt%, greater than or equal to 2 wt%, greater than or equal to 2.5 wt%, greater than or equal to 3 wt%, greater than or equal to 5 wt%, greater than or equal to 10 wt%, greater than or equal to 15 wt%, greater than or equal to 20 wt%, greater than or equal to 25 wt%, greater than or equal to 30 wt%, greater than or equal to 35 wt%, greater than or equal to 40 wt%, or greater than or equal to 45 wt%, relative to the total weight of the article. In some cases, the external binder is present at 45 wt % or less, 40 wt % or less, 35 wt % or less, 30 wt % or less, 25 wt % or less, 20 wt % or less, 15 wt % or less, 10 wt % or less, 5 wt % or less, 3 wt % or less, 2.5 wt % or less, 2 wt % or less, 1.5 wt % or less, 1 wt % or less, 0.5 wt % or less, 0.3 wt % or less, 0.2 wt % or less, 0.15 wt % or less, 0.1 wt % or less, 0.05 wt % or less, 0.03 wt % or less, 0.02 wt % or less, or 0.01 wt % or less, relative to the total weight of the article. Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are possible (eg, greater than or equal to 0.01 wt % and less than or equal to 20 wt %, greater than or equal to 0.01 wt % and less than or equal to 30 wt %). Other ranges are also possible.

[0053] In some cases, the amount of external binder required to form the article depends on the amount of intrinsic binder (e.g., an intrinsic binder comprising decomposition products of the biodegradable material) formed by the decomposition of the biodegradable material, the intrinsic binder, or another material in the article (e.g., a degradable material, an antimicrobial additive), and those skilled in the art will be able to select an appropriate amount of external binder (e.g., relative to the intrinsic binder) in light of this disclosure. That is, according to some embodiments, less external binder may be included in the presence of relatively more intrinsic binder (relative to the presence of less intrinsic binder).

[0054] In some embodiments, the articles have a different glucan content than some existing materials. For example, in some embodiments, the amount of glucan in the article is not between 47% and 54% by weight relative to the total weight of the article. However, in other embodiments, the amount of glucan is between 47% and 54% by weight relative to the total weight of the article.

[0055] In some embodiments, the preparation has a relatively low amount of glucan (e.g., less than 47 wt %). In some embodiments, the amount of glucan in the preparation is greater than or equal to 0.1 wt %, greater than or equal to 1 wt %, greater than or equal to 5 wt %, greater than or equal to 10 wt %, greater than or equal to 20 wt %, greater than or equal to 30 wt %, greater than or equal to 40 wt %, or greater than or equal to 46 wt %, relative to the total weight of the preparation. In some embodiments, the amount of glucan in the preparation is less than 47 wt %, less than or equal to 46 wt %, less than or equal to 40 wt %, less than or equal to 30 wt %, less than or equal to 20 wt %, less than or equal to 10 wt %, less than or equal to 5 wt %, less than or equal to 1 wt %, or less than or equal to 0.1 wt %. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 1 wt % and less than or equal to 46 wt %). Other ranges are possible.

[0056] In other embodiments, the preparation has a relatively high amount of glucan (e.g., greater than or equal to 55% by weight). In some embodiments, the amount of glucan in the preparation is greater than 54% by weight, greater than or equal to 55% by weight, greater than or equal to 60% by weight, greater than or equal to 65% by weight, or greater than or equal to 70% by weight, relative to the total weight of the preparation. In some embodiments, the amount of glucan in the preparation is less than 100% by weight, less than or equal to 90% by weight, less than or equal to 80% by weight, less than or equal to 70% by weight, or less than or equal to 60% by weight, relative to the total weight of the preparation. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 55% by weight and less than or equal to 90% by weight). Other ranges are possible.

[0057] As discussed above, in some embodiments, the article comprises a biodegradable material, an intrinsic binder, a degradable material, and / or an external binder. In some cases, the article comprises a biodegradable material at a concentration of greater than or equal to 40%, greater than or equal to 50%, greater than or equal to 55%, greater than or equal to 65%, greater than or equal to 75%, greater than or equal to 85%, greater than or equal to 95%, greater than or equal to 99%, greater than or equal to 99.9%, or greater than 99.99% by weight, relative to the total weight of the article. In some embodiments, the article comprises a biodegradable material at a concentration of 100%, less than or equal to 99.99%, less than or equal to 99.9%, less than or equal to 99%, less than or equal to 95%, less than or equal to 85%, less than or equal to 75%, less than or equal to 65%, less than or equal to 60% by weight, or less than or equal to 55% by weight, relative to the total weight of the article. Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are possible (greater than or equal to 55 weight percent and less than or equal to 99 weight percent). Other ranges are also possible.

[0058] In some cases, the article comprises lignin (e.g., lignin from or derived from a biodegradable material). In some embodiments, the weight percent of lignin in the article, relative to the total weight of the article, is greater than or equal to 0.05 weight percent, greater than or equal to 0.06 weight percent, greater than or equal to 0.01 weight percent, greater than or equal to 0.25 weight percent, greater than or equal to 0.5 weight percent, greater than or equal to 1 weight percent, greater than or equal to 2 weight percent, greater than or equal to 5 weight percent, greater than or equal to 10 weight percent, greater than or equal to 15 weight percent, greater than or equal to 20 weight percent, greater than or equal to 25 weight percent, greater than or equal to 30 weight percent, or greater than or equal to 34 weight percent. In some embodiments, the weight percent of lignin in the article, relative to the total weight of the article, is less than or equal to 34 weight percent, less than or equal to 30 weight percent, less than or equal to 25 weight percent, less than or equal to 20 weight percent, less than or equal to 15 weight percent, less than or equal to 10 weight percent, less than or equal to 5 weight percent, less than or equal to 2 weight percent, less than or equal to 1 weight percent, less than or equal to 0.5 weight percent, less than or equal to 0.25 weight percent, less than or equal to 0.01 weight percent, less than or equal to 0.06 weight percent, or less than or equal to 0.05 weight percent. Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 0.06 weight percent and less than or equal to 34 weight percent, greater than or equal to 0.05 weight percent and less than or equal to 7 weight percent). Other ranges are possible.

[0059] Various amounts of cellulose (e.g., cellulose from or derived from biodegradable materials) in the article are also possible. In some cases, relative to the gross weight of the article, the amount of cellulose in the article is greater than or equal to 6 wt%, greater than or equal to 7 wt%, greater than or equal to 8 wt%, greater than or equal to 10 wt%, greater than or equal to 12 wt%, greater than or equal to 14 wt%, greater than or equal to 16 wt%, or greater than or equal to 17 wt%. In some cases, relative to the gross weight of the article, the amount of cellulose in the article is greater than or equal to 20 wt%, greater than or equal to 30 wt%, greater than or equal to 40 wt%, or greater than or equal to 45 wt%. In some embodiments, relative to the gross weight of the article, the amount of cellulose in the article is less than or equal to 17 wt%, less than or equal to 16 wt%, less than or equal to 15 wt%, less than or equal to 13 wt%, less than or equal to 11 wt%, less than or equal to 9 wt%, less than or equal to 7 wt%, or less than or equal to 6 wt%. In some embodiments, the amount of cellulose in the article is less than or equal to 45 wt%, less than or equal to 40 wt%, less than or equal to 30 wt%, or less than or equal to 20 wt%, relative to the total weight of the article. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 6 wt% and less than or equal to 17 wt%). Other ranges are also possible.

[0060] In some embodiments, the amount of hemicellulose in the product is greater than or equal to 17 wt %, greater than or equal to 16 wt %, greater than or equal to 13 wt %, less than or equal to 15 wt %, less than or equal to 16 wt %, or less than or equal to 6 wt %. In some embodiments, the amount of hemicellulose in the product is less than or equal to 17 wt %, less than or equal to 16 wt %, less than or equal to 15 wt %, less than or equal to 13 wt %, less than or equal to 11 wt %, less than or equal to 9 wt %, less than or equal to 7 wt %, or less than or equal to 6 wt %. In some embodiments, the amount of hemicellulose in the product is less than or equal to 30 wt %, less than or equal to 20 wt %, or less than or equal to 19 wt %. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 6 wt % and less than or equal to 17 wt %). Other ranges are also possible.

[0061] As described above, the described articles include an intrinsic binder, and the intrinsic binder can be present in a variety of suitable ranges. According to some embodiments, the article has an intrinsic binder in an amount of less than or equal to 45% by weight, less than or equal to 42% by weight, less than or equal to 40% by weight, less than or equal to 35% by weight, less than or equal to 25% by weight, less than or equal to 15% by weight, less than or equal to 5% by weight, less than or equal to 2% by weight, less than or equal to 1.5% by weight, or less than or equal to 1% by weight relative to the total weight of the article. In some cases, the article includes an intrinsic binder in an amount greater than or equal to 1% by weight, greater than or equal to 1.5% by weight, greater than or equal to 2% by weight, greater than or equal to 5% by weight, greater than or equal to 15% by weight, greater than or equal to 25% by weight, greater than or equal to 35% by weight, greater than or equal to 40% by weight, greater than or equal to 42% by weight, or greater than or equal to 45% by weight relative to the total weight of the article. Combinations of the above ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 5% and less than or equal to 25%). Other ranges are also possible.

[0062] In some embodiments, the particles have a specific thickness. In some embodiments, the thickness of the particles can be greater than or equal to 1 mm, greater than or equal to 1.25 mm, greater than or equal to 1.5 mm, greater than or equal to 2 mm, greater than or equal to 5 mm, greater than or equal to 10 mm, greater than or equal to 15 mm, or greater than or equal to 20 mm. According to some embodiments, the thickness of the particles can be less than or equal to 25 mm, less than or equal to 20 mm, less than or equal to 15 mm, less than or equal to 10 mm, less than or equal to 5 mm, less than or equal to 2 mm, less than or equal to 1.5 mm, or less than or equal to 1.25 mm. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (greater than or equal to 1 mm and less than or equal to 25 mm). Other ranges are possible.

[0063] In addition, the article can have many suitable porosity ranges. In some embodiments, the porosity of the article can be greater than or equal to 25%, greater than or equal to 28%, greater than or equal to 30%, greater than or equal to 35%, greater than or equal to 45%, greater than or equal to 55%, greater than or equal to 65%, greater than or equal to 75%, greater than or equal to 78%, or greater than or equal to 80%. According to some embodiments, the porosity of the particles can be less than or equal to 80%, less than or equal to 78%, less than or equal to 75%, less than or equal to 70%, less than or equal to 60%, less than or equal to 50%, less than or equal to 40%, less than or equal to 30%, or less than or equal to 28%. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 25% and less than or equal to 80%). Other ranges are possible. Porosity can be measured, for example, by using x-ray tomography.

[0064] The density of the article can have a variety of suitable ranges. In some cases, the density of the article is greater than or equal to 0.3 g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 0.35g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 0.4g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 0.5g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 0.75g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 1g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 1.25g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 1.50g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 1.75g / cm 3 , or greater than or equal to 1.8g / cm 3 According to some embodiments, the density of the article is less than or equal to 1.8 g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 1.75g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 1.5g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 1.25g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 1g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 0.75g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 0.5g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 0.4g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 0.35g / cm 3 , or less than or equal to 0.3g / cm 3 Combinations of the above ranges are possible (greater than or equal to 0.3 g / cm 3 and less than or equal to 1.8g / cm 3 ). Other ranges are also possible.

[0065] The density of the various components of the article (e.g., biodegradable material, degradable material, intrinsic binder, and / or external binder) can have a variety of suitable ranges. In some cases, the density of a particular component of the article is greater than or equal to 0.3 g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 0.35g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 0.4g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 0.5g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 0.75g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 1g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 1.25g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 1.50g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 1.75g / cm 3 , or greater than or equal to 1.8g / cm3 According to some embodiments, the density of a particular component of the article is less than or equal to 1.8 g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 1.75g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 1.5g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 1.25g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 1g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 0.75g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 0.5g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 0.4g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 0.35g / cm 3 , or less than or equal to 0.3g / cm 3 Combinations of the above ranges are possible (greater than or equal to 0.3 g / cm 3 and less than or equal to 1.8g / cm 3 Other ranges are also possible. The density of the article can have a variety of suitable ranges. In some cases, the density of the article is greater than or equal to 0.3 g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 0.35g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 0.4g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 0.5g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 0.75g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 1g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 1.25g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 1.50g / cm 3 , greater than or equal to 1.75g / cm 3 , or greater than or equal to 1.8g / cm 3 According to some embodiments, the density of the article is less than or equal to 1.8 g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 1.75g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 1.5g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 1.25g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 1g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 0.75g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 0.5g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 0.4g / cm 3 , less than or equal to 0.35g / cm 3 , or less than or equal to 0.3g / cm 3 Combinations of the above ranges are possible (greater than or equal to 0.3 g / cm 3 and less than or equal to 1.8g / cm3 ). Other ranges are also possible.

[0066] The flexural strength of the article may also vary. Flexural strength can be measured by standard test BS EN 12089:2013. In some embodiments, the flexural strength of the article is greater than or equal to 1 MPa, greater than or equal to 5 MPa, greater than or equal to 5.5 MPa, greater than or equal to 6 MPa, greater than or equal to 7 MPa, greater than or equal to 8 MPa, greater than or equal to 9 MPa, greater than or equal to 10 MPa, greater than or equal to 11 MPa, greater than or equal to 12 MPa, greater than or equal to 13 MPa, greater than or equal to 14 MPa, greater than or equal to 14.5 MPa, or greater than or equal to 15 MPa. In some embodiments, the flexural strength of the article is greater than or equal to 20 MPa, greater than or equal to 30 MPa, or greater than or equal to 70 MPa. In some cases, the flexural strength of the article can be less than or equal to 15 MPa, less than or equal to 14.5 MPa, less than or equal to 14 MPa, less than or equal to 13 MPa, less than or equal to 12 MPa, less than or equal to 11 MPa, less than or equal to 10 MPa, less than or equal to 9 MPa, less than or equal to 8 MPa, less than or equal to 7 MPa, less than or equal to 6 MPa, less than or equal to 5.5 MPa, less than or equal to 5 MPa, or less than or equal to 1 MPa. In some embodiments, the flexural strength of the article can be less than or equal to 70 MPa, less than or equal to 30 MPa, or less than or equal to 15 MPa. Combinations of the above ranges are possible (greater than or equal to 5 MPa and less than or equal to 15 MPa). Other ranges are also possible.

[0067] The tensile strength of the article can have a suitable range. The tensile strength of the article can be measured by BS EN 1607:2013. In some embodiments, the tensile strength of the article is greater than or equal to 0.5 MPa, greater than or equal to 1 MPa, greater than or equal to 3 MPa, greater than or equal to 3.25 MPa, greater than or equal to 3.5 MPa, greater than or equal to 3.75 MPa, greater than or equal to 4 MPa, greater than or equal to 4.5 MPa, greater than or equal to 5 MPa, greater than or equal to 5.25 MPa, greater than or equal to 5.5 MPa, greater than or equal to 5.75 MPa, or greater than or equal to 6 MPa. In some embodiments, the tensile strength of the article is greater than or equal to 10 MPa, greater than or equal to 25 MPa, greater than or equal to 30 MPa, greater than or equal to 50 MPa, or greater than or equal to 65 MPa. In some cases, the tensile strength of the article is less than or equal to 6 MPa, less than or equal to 5.75 MPa, less than or equal to 5.5 MPa, less than or equal to 5.25 MPa, less than or equal to 5 MPa, less than or equal to 4.5 MPa, less than or equal to 4 MPa, less than or equal to 3.75 MPa, less than or equal to 3.5 MPa, less than or equal to 3.25 MPa, less than or equal to 3 MPa, less than or equal to 1 MPa, or less than or equal to 0.5 MPa. In some embodiments, the tensile strength of the article is less than or equal to 65 MPa, less than or equal to 50 MPa, less than or equal to 30 MPa, less than or equal to 25 MPa, or less than or equal to 10 MPa. Combinations of the above ranges are possible (greater than or equal to 0.5 MPa and less than or equal to 6 MPa). Other ranges are also possible.

[0068] The internal bond strength of the article may also be within a specific range. The internal bond strength of the article may be measured using the BSEN 1607:2013 standard test. In some embodiments, the internal bond strength of the article is greater than or equal to 0.5 N / mm 2 , greater than or equal to 0.55N / mm 2 , greater than or equal to 0.6N / mm 2 , greater than or equal to 0.7N / mm 2 , greater than or equal to 0.8N / mm 2 , greater than or equal to 0.9N / mm 2 , greater than or equal to 1.0N / mm 2 , greater than or equal to 1.1N / mm 2 , greater than or equal to 1.2N / mm 2 , greater than or equal to 1.3N / mm 2 , greater than or equal to 1.4N / mm 2 , greater than or equal to 1.5N / mm 2 , greater than or equal to 1.55N / mm2 , or greater than or equal to 1.6N / mm 2 In some embodiments, the internal bond strength of the article is less than or equal to 1.6 N / mm 2 , less than or equal to 1.55N / mm 2 , less than or equal to 1.5N / mm 2 , less than or equal to 1.4N / mm 2 , less than or equal to 1.3N / mm 2 , less than or equal to 1.2N / mm 2 , less than or equal to 1.1N / mm 2 , less than or equal to 1.0N / mm 2 , less than or equal to 0.9N / mm 2 , less than or equal to 0.8N / mm 2 , less than or equal to 0.7N / mm 2 , less than or equal to 0.6N / mm 2 , less than or equal to 0.55N / mm 2 , or less than or equal to 0.5N / mm 2 Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 0.5 N / mm 2 And less than or equal to 1.6N / mm 2 ). Other ranges are possible.

[0069] In some embodiments, the article can swell when exposed to water. In some cases, the swelling of the article can be determined by standard tests, such as by standard test EN 317-1993. In some cases, swelling can be determined as a change in the thickness of the article (e.g., a swollen thickness relative to the original thickness), and the change in thickness can be 0 mm. In some cases, the change in thickness is greater than 0 mm, greater than or equal to 0.05 mm, greater than or equal to 0.10 mm, greater than or equal to 0.15 mm, greater than or equal to 0.2 mm, greater than or equal to 0.25 mm, greater than or equal to 0.3 mm, greater than or equal to 0.35 mm, greater than or equal to 0.5 mm, greater than or equal to 1 mm, greater than or equal to 1.5 mm, greater than or equal to 2 mm, greater than or equal to 2.5 mm, or greater than or equal to 3 mm. In some cases, the change in thickness of the article when exposed to water is less than or equal to 3 mm, less than or equal to 2.5 mm, less than or equal to 2 mm, less than or equal to 1.5 mm, less than or equal to 1 mm, less than or equal to 0.5 mm, less than or equal to 0.35 mm, less than or equal to 0.3 mm, less than or equal to 0.25 mm, less than or equal to 0.2 mm, less than or equal to 0.15 mm, or less than or equal to 0.1 mm. Combinations of the above ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 0.1 mm and less than or equal to 3 mm). Other ranges are possible.

[0070] In some embodiments, the swelling of the article is determined by a percent change (e.g., the percent change in thickness relative to the initial thickness, e.g., (((swollen thickness relative to original thickness) divided by original thickness)*100). In some embodiments, the article swells greater than or equal to 30%, greater than or equal to 35%, greater than or equal to 40%, greater than or equal to 45%, greater than or equal to 50%, greater than or equal to 55%, or greater than 60% when exposed to water. In some cases, the article swells less than or equal to 60%, less than or equal to 55%, less than or equal to 50%, less than or equal to 45%, less than or equal to 40%, less than or equal to 35%, or less than or equal to 30% when exposed to water. Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 30% and less than or equal to 60%). Other ranges are possible.

[0071] In some embodiments, the article exhibits a specific hardness. The D-Shore hardness of the article can be greater than or equal to 15, greater than or equal to 20, greater than or equal to 25, greater than or equal to 30, greater than or equal to 35, greater than or equal to 40, greater than or equal to 45, greater than or equal to 50, greater than or equal to 55, greater than or equal to 60, greater than or equal to 65, greater than or equal to 70, or greater than or equal to 75. In some cases, the D-Shore hardness of the surface modification is less than or equal to 80, less than or equal to 75, less than or equal to 70, less than or equal to 65, less than or equal to 60, less than or equal to 55, less than or equal to 50, less than or equal to 45, less than or equal to 40, less than or equal to 35, less than or equal to 30, less than or equal to 25, or less than or equal to 20. Combinations of the above ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 15 and less than or equal to 80). Other ranges are also possible. The D-Shore hardness of the article can be determined by ASTM D2240 standard test.

[0072] In some embodiments, the biodegradable material (and / or the decomposition products of the biodegradable material) imparts beneficial properties to the article (e.g., resistance to microbial growth, rigidity, water resistance). In some such embodiments, compounds of the biodegradable material (e.g., limonene) may continue to exist in the article even after one or more processing techniques, such that compounds from the biodegradable material impart properties to the article. In contrast, many existing articles undergo processing steps that significantly alter or destroy compounds used as raw biodegradable materials. However, it has been advantageously discovered that, within the context of the present disclosure, processing techniques can be selected that preserve beneficial compounds from the biodegradable material (e.g., by selecting a temperature during heat treatment that preserves one or more compounds from the biodegradable material). In some embodiments, a certain amount of compounds from the biodegradable compound is present in the article. In some embodiments, the article has greater than or equal to 0.05%, greater than or equal to 0.1%, greater than or equal to 0.5%, greater than or equal to 1%, greater than or equal to 3%, greater than or equal to 5%, greater than or equal to 7%, or greater than or equal to 10% by weight of a compound derived from a biodegradable material, relative to the total weight of the article. In some embodiments, the article has less than or equal to 10%, less than or equal to 7%, less than or equal to 5%, less than or equal to 3%, less than or equal to 1%, less than or equal to 0.5%, less than or equal to 0.1%, or less than or equal to 0.05% by weight of a compound derived from a biodegradable material, relative to the total weight of the article. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 0.1% and less than or equal to 10%). Other ranges are possible.

[0073] As described above, the articles described herein can be resistant to microbial growth. According to some embodiments, the biodegradation resistance (e.g., a measure of the susceptibility of fungal spores to growth on a material) of an article and / or its components (e.g., a biodegradable material comprising an intrinsic binder, an intrinsic binder) can be a variety of suitable values ​​and can be measured via a variety of methods. In some cases, the biodegradation resistance of an article is less than or equal to 3, less than or equal to 2, less than or equal to 1, or 0, as determined by ASTM C1338 standard testing.

[0074] The articles described herein may also include a surface modification. In some embodiments, the surface modification is a coating on the article, wherein the coating is a biodegradable material and / or an intrinsic binder or at least a portion of the article. For example, Figure 2 An illustrative example of an article 220 (e.g., an article 220 comprising a biodegradable material, an intrinsic binder, an intrinsic binder, and / or an external binder) is shown in which a surface modification is applied to the article as a coating 210. In this non-limiting example, the surface modification is shown as being applied to only one side of the article. However, the surface modification may coat a portion of the article or the entire article.

[0075] The surface modification can include a variety of suitable materials to obtain a variety of properties of the article (e.g., water content, flame retardancy). For example, the surface modification can impart a variety of properties to the article. Non-limiting examples of properties provided to the article by surface modification include flame retardancy, water resistance, and / or resistance to biodegradation. For example, in some embodiments, the surface modification is hydrophobic. In some embodiments, the surface modification of the article reduces swelling of the article relative to an article without surface modification.

[0076] In order to impart such characteristics, according to some embodiments, surface modification can include a variety of suitable compounds or materials. For example, as described above, in some cases, surface modification includes hydrophobic materials. In some such embodiments, hydrophobic materials include rosin. In some cases, surface modification includes shellac, rapeseed wax, linseed oil, limonene oil, fiber including sugarcane and / or grass, petals, coffee beans, orange peel, glycerol and / or naturally occurring dyes. In some such cases, wherein surface modification includes naturally occurring dyes, as non-limiting examples, the naturally occurring dyes include beetroot powder, blue pea powder and / or charcoal. Other compounds suitable for surface modification include sodium tetraborate decahydrate, boric acid and / or diammonium hydrogen phosphate. In some embodiments, surface modification includes compounds of natural origin. Other surface modifications are also possible. The combination of the above-mentioned compounds and materials as surface modifications is possible (for example, limonene oil and coffee beans). Other such combinations are also possible.

[0077] In some embodiments, the surface modification can impart hydrophobicity to the article (e.g., a surface modification comprising rosin). Hydrophobicity can be measured by measuring the water contact angle of the article. In some embodiments, the water contact angle is greater than 90°, greater than or equal to 95°, greater than or equal to 100°, greater than or equal to 105°, greater than or equal to 110°, greater than or equal to 115°, greater than or equal to 120°, greater than or equal to 125°, greater than or equal to 130°, greater than or equal to 135°, or greater than or equal to 140°. In some embodiments, the water contact angle of the article is less than or equal to 140°, less than or equal to 135°, less than or equal to 130°, less than or equal to 125°, less than or equal to 120°, less than or equal to 115°, less than or equal to 110°, less than or equal to 105°, less than or equal to 100°, less than or equal to 95°, or less than or equal to greater than 90°. Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (eg, greater than or equal to 95° and less than or equal to 125°). Other ranges are possible.

[0078] In some embodiments, the surface modification has a D-Shore hardness greater than or equal to 40, greater than or equal to 45, greater than or equal to 50, greater than or equal to 55, greater than or equal to 60, greater than or equal to 65, greater than or equal to 70, greater than or equal to 75, or greater than or equal to 80. In some cases, the surface modification has a D-Shore hardness less than or equal to 80, less than or equal to 75, less than or equal to 70, less than or equal to 65, less than or equal to 60, centered at 55, less than or equal to 50, less than or equal to 45, or less than or equal to 40. Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 40 and less than or equal to 80). Other ranges are possible.

[0079] In some embodiments, the thickness of the surface modification when immersed in water can change. In some embodiments, the thickness change of the surface modification when immersed in water is less than or equal to 3mm, less than or equal to 2.5mm, less than or equal to 2mm, less than or equal to 1.5mm, less than or equal to 1mm, less than or equal to 0.75mm, less than or equal to 0.5mm or less than or equal to 0.25mm. In some cases, the thickness change of the surface modification when immersed in water is greater than 0mm, greater than or equal to 0.25mm, greater than or equal to 0.5mm, greater than or equal to 0.75mm, greater than or equal to 1mm, greater than or equal to 1.5mm, greater than or equal to 2mm, greater than or equal to 2.5mm or larger. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 2mm and less than or equal to 3mm). Other ranges are possible. The thickness change of the surface modification can be determined by standard test BS EN 317-1993.

[0080] As described above, the methods described herein can be adapted to produce articles having a variety of suitable properties. In some cases, the article comprising the biodegradable material is processed (e.g., pre-processed, pre-treated, processed before generating decomposition products of the biodegradable material, processed after generating decomposition products of the biodegradable material). Processing of the biodegradable material can include many different techniques (e.g., mechanical processing, chemical processing, hydrothermal processing).

[0081] Processing the biodegradable material can include reducing the size of the particles. Reducing the size of the particles can include cutting, grinding, slicing, blending, chopping and / or other suitable techniques for adjusting the size of the particles. In some such embodiments, reducing the particle size of the biodegradable material includes reducing the average particle size of the particles so that the average diameter of the biodegradable material (e.g., particles comprising biodegradable material, the first portion of biodegradable material, the second portion of biodegradable material) is less than or equal to 15 mm and / or greater than or equal to 0.005 mm. In some embodiments, the average diameter of the biodegradable material is less than or equal to 0.005 nm, less than or equal to 10 mm, less than or equal to 8 mm, less than or equal to 5 mm, less than or equal to 3 mm, or less than or equal to 1 mm. In some embodiments, the average diameter of the biodegradable material is greater than or equal to 1 mm, greater than or equal to 3 mm, greater than or equal to 5 mm, greater than or equal to 8 mm, greater than or equal to 10 mm, or greater than or equal to 15 mm. The suitable size of the particles comprising the biodegradable material (e.g., comprising the decomposition products of the biodegradable material) after reducing the size of the particles is discussed elsewhere herein.

[0082] In some cases, processing the biodegradable material includes heating the biodegradable material to a first temperature. The first temperature can be greater than or equal to 100° C., greater than or equal to 110° C., greater than or equal to 120° C., greater than or equal to 130° C., greater than or equal to 140° C., greater than or equal to 150° C., greater than or equal to 160° C., greater than or equal to 170° C., greater than or equal to 180° C., greater than or equal to 190° C., greater than or equal to 200° C., greater than or equal to 210° C., or greater than or equal to 220° C. In some cases, the first temperature can be less than or equal to 220° C., less than or equal to 210° C., less than or equal to 200° C., less than or equal to 190° C., less than or equal to 180° C., less than or equal to 170° C., less than or equal to 160° C., less than or equal to 150° C., less than or equal to 140° C., less than or equal to 130° C., less than or equal to 120° C., less than or equal to 110° C., or less than or equal to 100° C. Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 100° C. and less than or equal to 220° C.). Other ranges are possible. Heating the biodegradable material can include placing the biodegradable material in an oven, exposing the biodegradable material to a heat source (e.g., a flame, the sun, a heat lamp), or other suitable methods known to those skilled in the art.

[0083] In some embodiments, processing the biodegradable material may include cooling from a first temperature to a second temperature. In some such cases, the second temperature is less than or equal to 5°C, less than or equal to 10°C, less than or equal to 20°C, less than or equal to 30°C, less than or equal to 40°C, less than or equal to 50°C, less than or equal to 60°C, less than or equal to 70°C, less than or equal to 80°C, less than or equal to 90°C, or less than or equal to 100°C lower than the first temperature. Cooling can be performed in the environment by removing the heat source from the vicinity of the biodegradable material or by other methods known to those skilled in the art.

[0084] Processing the biodegradable material may include adjusting the water content within the biodegradable material or article (e.g., an article comprising a biodegradable material, a biodegradable material, an intrinsic binder, and / or an external binder). In some cases, adjusting the water content may include removing water from the biodegradable material. Removing water from the biodegradable material may include evaporating the water; compressing the biodegradable material to remove water from the lattice and / or matrix of the biodegradable material; placing the biodegradable material in a low humidity environment; or other methods known to those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, a water content of greater than or equal to 1% by weight, greater than or equal to 10% by weight, greater than or equal to 20% by weight, greater than or equal to 30% by weight, greater than or equal to 40% by weight, greater than or equal to 50% by weight, or greater than or equal to 60% by weight (relative to the biodegradable material in a hydrated state) is removed from the biodegradable material. In some cases, less than or equal to 60 weight percent, less than or equal to 50 weight percent, less than or equal to 40 weight percent, less than or equal to 30 weight percent, less than or equal to 20 weight percent, or less than or equal to 10 weight percent of the water content of the biodegradable material is removed. Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are possible (greater than or equal to 1 weight percent and less than or equal to 60 weight percent). Other ranges are possible.

[0085] In some cases, adjusting the water content of the biodegradable material comprises hydrating the biodegradable material from a first moisture content to a second moisture content. Hydrating the biodegradable material can include directly adding water to the biodegradable material; placing the biodegradable material in a high humidity environment; or other suitable methods known to those skilled in the art. In some cases, hydrating the biodegradable material comprises increasing the water content of the biodegradable material to less than or equal to 80% by weight, less than or equal to 70% by weight, less than or equal to 60% by weight, less than or equal to 50% by weight, less than or equal to 40% by weight, less than or equal to 30% by weight, less than or equal to 20% by weight, less than or equal to 10% by weight, or less than or equal to 1% by weight. According to some embodiments, hydrating the biodegradable material comprises increasing the moisture content within the biodegradable material to greater than or equal to 1 wt %, greater than or equal to 10 wt %, greater than or equal to 20 wt %, greater than or equal to 30 wt %, greater than or equal to 40 wt %, greater than or equal to 50 wt %, greater than or equal to 60 wt %, greater than or equal to 70 wt %, or greater than or equal to 80 wt %. Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 1 wt % and less than or equal to 80 wt %). Other ranges are possible.

[0086] In some embodiments, the biodegradable material and / or article can be treated with steam. Advantageously, the steam treatment can allow the formation of at least some decomposition products of the biodegradable material without significantly damaging the biodegradable material (e.g., such that a degraded material formed from the biodegradable material retains at least some structure). In some embodiments, providing steam can include exposing the biodegradable material to steam at a temperature of greater than or equal to 100° C., greater than or equal to 110° C., greater than or equal to 120° C., greater than or equal to 130° C., greater than or equal to 140° C., greater than or equal to 150° C., greater than or equal to 160° C., greater than or equal to 170° C., greater than or equal to 180° C., greater than or equal to 190° C., greater than or equal to 200° C., or greater than or equal to 210° C. In some cases, providing steam can include exposing the biodegradable material to steam at a temperature of less than or equal to 220° C., less than or equal to 210° C., less than or equal to 200° C., less than or equal to 190° C., less than or equal to 180° C., less than or equal to 170° C., less than or equal to 160° C., less than or equal to 150° C., less than or equal to 140° C., less than or equal to 130° C., less than or equal to 120° C., or less than or equal to 110° C. Combinations of the above ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 100° C. and less than or equal to 220° C.). Other ranges are also possible.

[0087] In some cases, when steam is provided, when biodegradable material and / or goods are exposed to steam, steam can exist with multiple pressures. In some cases, steam exists with a pressure greater than or equal to 2MPa, greater than or equal to 3MPa, greater than or equal to 4MPa, greater than or equal to 5MPa, greater than or equal to 6MPa, greater than or equal to 7MPa, greater than or equal to 8MPa, greater than or equal to 9MPa, greater than or equal to 10MPa, greater than or equal to 11MPa or greater than or equal to 12MPa. In some embodiments, steam exists with a pressure less than or equal to 12MPa, less than or equal to 11MPa, less than or equal to 10MPa, less than or equal to 9MPa, less than or equal to 8MPa, less than or equal to 7MPa, less than or equal to 6MPa, less than or equal to 5MPa, less than or equal to 4MPa, less than or equal to 3MPa, less than or equal to 2MPa or less than or equal to 1MPa. The combination of the above range is also possible (for example, greater than or equal to 2MPA and less than or equal to 12MPa). Other scopes are possible.

[0088] Other methods for regulating the water content in a biodegradable material and / or article are possible and are known to those skilled in the art. Non-limiting examples of other methods for regulating the water content in a biodegradable material include evaporating the biodegradable material, freeze-drying the biodegradable material, and / or exposing the biodegradable material to a hygroscopic material. Of course, other methods for regulating the water content in a biodegradable material are possible, as this disclosure is not so limited. Combinations of these methods are also contemplated.

[0089] It is possible to use other steps for processing biodegradable materials (e.g., products comprising biodegradable materials). For example, biodegradable materials can be treated with acid and / or alkali. During the acid treatment of biodegradable materials, the acid can include sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, acetic acid, citric acid and / or sorbic acid. In some cases, during the alkali treatment of biodegradable materials, the alkali can include sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide and / or ammonium hydroxide. Of course, other acids and / or alkalis used for the acid and / or alkali treatment of biodegradable materials are possible because the present disclosure is not so limited.

[0090] In some cases, the biodegradable material (e.g., an article comprising the biodegradable material) is soaked in the acid for a period of 1 minute or more, 5 minutes or more, 1 hour or more, 2 hours or more, 5 hours or more, 10 hours or more, 15 hours or more, 20 hours or more, 25 hours or more, 30 hours or more, 35 hours or more, 40 hours or more, 45 hours or more, or 48 hours or more. Soaking the biodegradable material in the acid can be performed for a period of 48 hours or less, 45 hours or less, 40 hours or less, 35 hours or less, 30 hours or less, 25 hours or less, 20 hours or less, 15 hours or less, 10 hours or less, 5 hours or less, 2 hours or less, 1 hour or less, 5 minutes or less, or 1 minute or less. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 1 hour and less than or equal to 48 hours). Other ranges are also possible. In some cases, the pH of the acid can be less than 7, less than or equal to 6, less than or equal to 5, less than or equal to 4, less than or equal to 3, less than or equal to 2, less than or equal to 1, or less than or equal to 0. In some embodiments, the pH of the acid can be greater than or equal to 0, greater than or equal to 1, greater than or equal to 2, greater than or equal to 3, greater than or equal to 4, greater than or equal to 5, or greater than or equal to 6. Combinations of the above ranges are possible (e.g., a pH greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 6). Other ranges are also possible.

[0091] In some embodiments, the biodegradable material (e.g., an article comprising the biodegradable material) is soaked in the base for a period of 1 minute or more, 5 minutes or more, 1 hour or more, 2 hours or more, 5 hours or more, 10 hours or more, 15 hours or more, 20 hours or more, 25 hours or more, 30 hours or more, 35 hours or more, 40 hours or more, 45 hours or more, or 48 hours or more. The biodegradable material can be soaked in the acid for a period of 48 hours or less, 45 hours or less, 40 hours or less, 35 hours or less, 30 hours or less, 25 hours or less, 20 hours or less, 15 hours or less, 10 hours or less, 5 hours or less, 2 hours or less, 1 hour or less, 5 minutes or less, or 1 minute or less. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 1 hour and less than or equal to 48 hours). Other ranges are possible. In some embodiments, the pH of the base can be less than or equal to 14, less than or equal to 13, less than or equal to 12, less than or equal to 11, less than or equal to 10, less than or equal to 9, or less than or equal to 8. In some embodiments, the pH of the base can be greater than 7, greater than or equal to 8, greater than or equal to 9, greater than or equal to 10, greater than or equal to 11, greater than or equal to 12, or greater than or equal to 13. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., a pH greater than or equal to 8 and less than or equal to 14). Other ranges are possible.

[0092] Processing the biodegradable material may include compressing the biodegradable material, wherein the compressing includes applying a pressure greater than or equal to 2 MPa, greater than or equal to 3 MPa, greater than or equal to 4 MPa, greater than or equal to 5 MPa, greater than or equal to 6 MPa, greater than or equal to 7 MPa, greater than or equal to 8 MPa, greater than or equal to 9 MPa, greater than or equal to 10 MPa, greater than or equal to 11 MPa, or greater than or equal to 12 MPa. In some cases, the compressing may include applying a pressure less than or equal to 12 MPa, less than or equal to 11 MPa, less than or equal to 10 MPa, less than or equal to 9 MPa, less than or equal to 8 MPa, less than or equal to 7 MPa, less than or equal to 6 MPa, less than or equal to 5 MPa, less than or equal to 4 MPa, less than or equal to 3 MPa, or less than or equal to 2 MPa.

[0093] Processing a biodegradable material (e.g., an article comprising a biodegradable material) by compressing it (e.g., by applying pressure) can be performed in many suitable ways known to those skilled in the art. In some cases, applying pressure can include applying pressure uniformly. In other cases, applying pressure can include applying pressure unevenly. In some cases, when applying pressure to the biodegradable material, heat can be applied simultaneously with the pressure (e.g., the biodegradable material is hot pressed). Applying heat can be performed only during a portion of the compression process or the entirety of the compression process. In some cases, as disclosed elsewhere herein, applying heat to the biodegradable material can include changing the temperature (e.g., raising the temperature of the biodegradable material to greater than or equal to 100° C. and less than or equal to 220° C.). In some embodiments, compressing and / or heating the biodegradable material may not cause a change in the weight of the biodegradable material. In other cases, a weight change (measured as a percent change) of greater than 0%, greater than or equal to 2%, greater than or equal to 4%, greater than or equal to 6%, greater than or equal to 8%, greater than or equal to 10%, greater than or equal to 12%, greater than or equal to 14%, greater than or equal to 16%, or greater than or equal to 18% is measured in the biodegradable material. In some cases, the weight change of the biodegradable material is less than or equal to 20%, less than or equal to 18%, less than or equal to 16%, less than or equal to 14%, less than or equal to 12%, less than or equal to 10%, less than or equal to 8%, less than or equal to 6%, less than or equal to 4%, or less than or equal to 2%. Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (greater than or equal to 10% and less than or equal to 12%). Other ranges are possible.

[0094] In some cases, processing the biodegradable material includes pre-treating the biodegradable material by any number of suitable methods. As described elsewhere herein, such pre-treatment steps can include mechanical pre-treatment (e.g., compression), chemical pre-treatment (e.g., acid / base treatment), biological pre-treatment (e.g., decomposition), and / or hydrothermal pre-treatment (e.g., exposure to steam).

[0095] In some embodiments, processing a biodegradable material can form an intrinsic binder (e.g., an intrinsic binder comprising one or more decomposition products of the biodegradable material). In some such cases, only a portion of the biodegradable material can form the intrinsic binder. In some cases, processing a biodegradable material to form the intrinsic binder can include further processing steps to further process the biodegradable material and the intrinsic binder.

[0096] The method may also include adding another binder (e.g., an external binder) to the biodegradable material. For example, the method may include adding an external binder to the biodegradable material and an intrinsic binder (e.g., an intrinsic binder comprising decomposition products of the biodegradable material). In some cases, the method also includes adding an external binder and / or mixing the external binder with the biodegradable material and / or the intrinsic binder. According to some embodiments, the external binder is only added to a portion of the biodegradable material and / or the intrinsic binder. However, according to other embodiments, the external binder is added to all of the biodegradable material and / or the intrinsic binder. In some embodiments, the external binder is added to the biodegradable material, the degradable material and / or the intrinsic binder to form an article with a first set of characteristics. After adding the external binder and forming the article with the first set of characteristics, the article can be further processed to obtain an article with a second set of characteristics by any steps disclosed elsewhere herein, wherein the second set of characteristics is different from the first set of characteristics.

[0097] In some embodiments, a biodegradable material comprising a first configuration (e.g., an article comprising a biodegradable material) can be molded into a second configuration. In some cases, the first configuration can be a randomly oriented material (e.g., a random stack and / or matrix of biodegradable materials such as coffee grounds and / or orange peels). In some embodiments, a first configuration that may or may not comprise a randomly oriented biodegradable material can be molded into a second configuration. In some cases, the second configuration comprises a pad. In some cases, the pad can be a rectangular prism, a cube, a sphere, a triangular prism, or any other regular or irregular shape. A variety of containers for molding are known in the art, and those skilled in the art will be able to select an appropriate container to mold the article in view of this disclosure.

[0098] The method can also include applying a surface modification and / or coating to the biodegradable material (e.g., an article comprising the biodegradable material). The surface modification and / or coating can comprise any suitable compound or material as disclosed elsewhere herein. Depending on the surface modification and / or coating, applying a suitable compound and / or material can plasticize the biodegradable material or the article comprising the biodegradable material.

[0099] It should be noted that, although mainly described above processing step in the context of biodegradable material (for example, comprising), processing step can be carried out under the existence of biodegradable material, intrinsic binding agent, intrinsic binding agent, external binding agent and / or any other suitable material (for example, plasticizing additive, antimicrobial).In addition, although listed in the present disclosure with particular order, described step is not limited to carry out in the order listed.That is, processing step can be carried out in any order, and independently and / or be combined with each other and carry out.In addition, the processing step listed can be carried out repeatedly independently of each other.As non-limiting examples, can for the first time biodegradable material be compressed, then heat, then for the second time it is compressed.Certainly, other exemplary processing steps and the order of processing step have been considered, because present disclosure is not so limited.

[0100] The articles described herein are suitable for a variety of purposes. For example, in one embodiment, the article is an insulation material. In another embodiment, the article can be used as a wall covering or wall lining (dry lining). In some embodiments, the article can be a component of flooring, board building materials, furniture, ceiling tiles, product design, interior design, automotive and / or aerospace interiors. Of course, other applications are possible, as this disclosure is not so limited, and those skilled in the art will be able to provide other applications for the articles described herein in light of this disclosure.

[0101] The following examples are intended to illustrate certain embodiments of the invention, but do not exemplify the full scope of the invention.

[0102] Example 1

[0103] The following example describes the preparation of a composite sheet in which the biodegradable material comprises biodegradable orange peel (OP).

[0104] Preprocessing

[0105] • Dehydration of the raw OP husk by a stream of hot air to adjust the water content to about 10%.

[0106] • The dried OP was then hammer milled to reduce the particle size to 1 mm to 3 mm.

[0107] • Analysis of the pretreated OP composition showed 7 to 11 w / w % cellulose and 4 to 8 % lignin.

[0108] Composite material forming

[0109] ●Analyze powdered OP based on the following:

[0110] o Moisture content and adjusting it appropriately; and

[0111] ○Particle size

[0112] • The OP was then weighed and distributed into a heated compression mold (sample thickness / depth = 12 mm).

[0113] • The powder was compressed at 145°C with an applied pressure of 8 MPa.

[0114] • After the heating duration, the sample is allowed to cool before releasing the composite sample from the mold.

[0115] • The composite samples were then subjected to a final curing step in a dehydrator.

[0116] Material Testing

[0117] The final sample is then characterized through a series of tests to determine values ​​within a specific range. For OP, the sample is checked for at least the following properties:

[0118] Porosity = 30%

[0119] Density = 1.5g / cm^3

[0120] ○Bending strength = 15MPa

[0121] ○Tensile strength = 10MPa

[0122] ○ Water absorption: weight increase = -12.5% ​​(BS EN 317, indicating negative mass without loss of water)

[0123] ○Hardness (D-Shore scale) = 80D

[0124] ○ Anti-biodegradation effect = 3 (ASTM C1338)

[0125] Post-processing

[0126] • To enhance water resistance and resistance to biodegradation, the surface of the final composite was coated with a linseed oil / wax mixture and allowed to dry.

[0127] Optionally, limonene-oil can be added topically in the form of oil or impregnated wax to improve the resistance of the final product to biodegradation.

[0128] Although several embodiments of the present disclosure have been described and illustrated herein, a person of ordinary skill in the art will readily conceive of a variety of other means and / or structures for performing the functions described herein and / or obtaining the results and / or one or more advantages described herein, and each of such variations and / or modifications is considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily understand that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are intended to be exemplary, and that actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and / or configurations will depend on one or more specific applications in which the teachings of the present disclosure are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to determine many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the present invention described herein using only routine experimentation. Therefore, it should be understood that the above embodiments are presented by way of example only, and within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents, the present invention may be practiced in other ways than as specifically described and claimed. The present disclosure relates to each individual feature, system, article, material, and / or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, and / or methods is included within the scope of the present disclosure if such features, systems, articles, materials, and / or methods are not inconsistent with each other.

[0129] Unless explicitly stated to the contrary, as used herein in the specification and claims, nouns without quantifiers should be understood to mean "at least one".

[0130] The phrase "and / or" as used herein in the specification and in the claims should be understood to mean "either or both" of the elements so combined, i.e., elements that are present together in some cases and separately in other cases. Unless expressly indicated to the contrary, other elements may optionally be present besides the elements specifically identified by the "and / or" clause, whether related or unrelated to those specifically identified elements. Thus, as a non-limiting example, when used in conjunction with open language such as "comprising," a reference to "A and / or B" may refer to A without B (optionally including elements in addition to B) in one embodiment; to B without A (optionally including elements in addition to A) in another embodiment; to both A and B (optionally including other elements) in yet another embodiment; and so on.

[0131] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, "or" should be understood to have the same meaning as "and / or" as defined above. For example, when the items in the list are separated, "or" or "and / or" should be interpreted as inclusive, that is, including at least one of a plurality of elements or a list of elements, but also including more than one, and optionally other unlisted items. Only the opposite terms are clearly indicated, such as "only one of ... or "just one of ...", or when used in the claims, "consisting of ... will refer to including just one element in a plurality of elements or a list of elements. Usually, when there is an exclusive term such as "any one", "one of ...", "only one of ... or "just one of ...", the term "or" as used herein should only be interpreted to represent exclusive selection (that is, one or another but not two). When used in the claims, "substantially consisting of ... should have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

[0132] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase "at least one" when referring to a list of one or more elements should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed in the list of elements, and not excluding any combination of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified in the list of elements to which the phrase "at least one" refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or equivalently, “at least one of A or B” or, equivalently, “at least one of A and / or B”) may refer, in one embodiment, to at least one A, optionally including more than one A, without B (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one B, optionally including more than one B, without A (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one A, optionally including more than one A, and at least one B, optionally including more than one B (and optionally including other elements); and so on.

[0133] Some embodiments may be embodied as methods, of which various examples have been described. The actions performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitable manner. Thus, embodiments may be constructed in which the actions are performed in an order different from that shown, may include actions that are different (e.g., more or fewer) than those described, and / or may involve performing some actions simultaneously, even though the actions are shown as being performed sequentially in the embodiments specifically described above.

[0134] The use of ordinal terms such as "first", "second", "third", etc. in the claims to modify claim elements does not itself mean any priority, precedence or order of one claim element relative to another claim element or the temporal order of the actions of performing the method, but is merely used as a mark to distinguish one claim element with a certain name from another element with the same name (but using an ordinal term), thereby distinguishing the claim elements.

[0135] In the claims and throughout the foregoing description, all transitional phrases such as "comprising," "including," "with," "having," "containing," "involving," "having," and the like are to be construed as open-ended, meaning including, but not limited to, including. Only the transitional phrases "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of" shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03.

Claims

1. A product comprising: a biodegradable material comprising a weight percent lignin greater than or equal to 0.05 wt% and / or less than or equal to 7 wt% and having a first portion and a second portion; and an intrinsic binder comprising decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein the intrinsic binder bonds to the first portion and the second portion of the biodegradable material, in: The thickness of the product is greater than or equal to 1 mm and / or less than or equal to 25 mm; The porosity of the product is greater than or equal to 25% and less than or equal to 80%; The density of the product is greater than or equal to 0.3 g / cm 3 and less than or equal to 1.8g / cm 3 ;as well as The amount of glucan in the preparation is less than or equal to 47% by weight.

2. A product comprising: a biodegradable material comprising a weight percent lignin greater than or equal to 0.05 wt% and / or less than or equal to 7 wt% and having a first portion and a second portion; and an intrinsic binder comprising decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein the intrinsic binder bonds to the first portion and the second portion of the biodegradable material, in: The thickness of the product is greater than or equal to 1 mm and / or less than or equal to 25 mm; The porosity of the product is greater than or equal to 25% and less than or equal to 80%; The density of the product is greater than or equal to 0.3 g / cm 3 and less than or equal to 1.8g / cm 3 ;as well as The amount of glucan in the preparation is greater than or equal to 54% by weight.

3. A product comprising: a biodegradable material comprising a weight percent lignin greater than or equal to 17 weight percent and / or less than or equal to 31 weight percent and having a first portion and a second portion; and an intrinsic binder comprising decomposition products of said biodegradable material, in: The thickness of the product is greater than or equal to 1 mm and / or less than or equal to 25 mm; The porosity of the product is greater than or equal to 25% and less than or equal to 80%; The density of the biodegradable material and / or the intrinsic binder is greater than or equal to 0.8 g / cm 3 and less than or equal to 1.5g / cm 3 ;as well as The amount of glucan in the preparation is less than or equal to 47% by weight.

4. A product comprising: a biodegradable material comprising a weight percent lignin greater than or equal to 17 weight percent and / or less than or equal to 31 weight percent and having a first portion and a second portion; and an intrinsic binder comprising decomposition products of said biodegradable material, in: The thickness of the product is greater than or equal to 1 mm and / or less than or equal to 25 mm; The porosity of the product is greater than or equal to 25% and less than or equal to 80%; The density of the biodegradable material and / or the intrinsic binder is greater than or equal to 0.8 g / cm 3 and less than or equal to 1.5g / cm 3 ;as well as The amount of glucan in the preparation is greater than or equal to 54% by weight.

5. The article of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an external binder, wherein the external binder is bonded to the first portion or the second portion of the biodegradable material and at least a portion of the intrinsic binder, and wherein the external binder is greater than or equal to 0.01 wt % relative to the total weight of the article.

6. The preparation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the amount of glucan in the preparation is greater than or equal to 0.1% by weight and less than 47% by weight relative to the total weight of the preparation.

7. The preparation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the amount of glucan in the preparation is greater than 54% by weight and less than or equal to 90% by weight relative to the total weight of the preparation.

8. The article of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the intrinsic binder is at least partially formed from the biodegradable material.

9. The article of any preceding claim, wherein greater than or equal to 20% of the article is cross-linked and / or less than or equal to 99.99% by weight of the article is cross-linked.

10. The article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the article has a flexural strength greater than or equal to 1 MPa and / or less than or equal to 70 MPa.

11. The article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the article has a tensile strength greater than or equal to 0.5 MPa and / or less than 65 MPa.

12. The article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the internal bond strength of the article is greater than or equal to 0.5 N / mm 2 and / or less than or equal to 1.6N / mm 2 .

13. The article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the swollen thickness of the article after immersion in water is greater than or equal to 0 mm and / or less than or equal to 3 mm.

14. The article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the article has a hardness greater than or equal to 15D and / or less than or equal to 80D.

15. The article of any preceding claim, wherein the article has a biodegradation resistance of 3 as determined by testing according to ASTM-C1338 standard.

16. The article of any preceding claim, wherein the biodegradable material is greater than or equal to 55% by weight of the article.

17. The article of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the intrinsic binder is less than or equal to 45% by weight of the article.

18. The article of any preceding claim, wherein the biodegradable material comprises orange peel and / or coffee husks.

19. The article of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the weight % of lignin in the biodegradable material is greater than or equal to 0.06% and / or less than or equal to 34%.

20. The article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the weight % of cellulose of the biodegradable material is greater than or equal to 6 weight % and / or less than or equal to 52%.

21. The article of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the weight % of hemicellulose of the biodegradable material is greater than or equal to 6 weight % and / or less than or equal to 17 weight %.

22. The article of any preceding claim, further comprising a surface modification on at least a portion of a surface of the article.

23. The article of claim 22, wherein: (a) the surface modification comprises a compound of natural origin; and / or (b) the surface modification comprises a hydrophobic material; and / or (c) the surface modification is a coating on at least a portion of the biodegradable material and / or the intrinsic binder; and / or (d) the surface modification comprises a flame retardant material or provides flame retardancy; and / or (e) the surface modification comprises sodium tetraborate decahydrate, boric acid and / or diammonium hydrogen phosphate; and / or (f) the surface modification comprises rosin; and / or (g) the surface modification has a Shore D hardness greater than or equal to 40 and / or less than or equal to 80; and / or (h) the surface modification comprises shellac; and / or (i) the surface modification provides resistance to water and / or ambient moisture; and / or (j) the surface modification has a thickness change of less than or equal to 3 mm when immersed in water; and / or (k) the surface modification comprises rapeseed wax, linseed oil and / or limonene oil; and / or (1) the surface modification provides resistance to biodegradation; and / or (m) the surface modification comprises fibers; and / or (n) the surface modification comprises fibers comprising sugar cane and / or grass; and / or (o) the surface modification comprises flower petals, coffee beans and / or orange peel; and / or (p) the surface modification comprises a naturally occurring dye; and / or (q) the surface modification comprises naturally occurring dyes including beetroot powder, blue pea powder and / or charcoal; and / or (r) the surface modification comprises tapioca starch, water and / or alkali, and / or (s) The surface modification reduces swelling of the article relative to an article without the surface modification.

24. The article of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the biodegradable material has a protein content greater than or equal to 15% and less than or equal to 95% by weight.

25. The article of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the biodegradable material has a protein content greater than or equal to 15 wt% and less than or equal to 95 wt%, and wherein the protein comprises keratin.

26. A method comprising: The following steps are carried out with a biodegradable material comprising a weight % of lignin greater than or equal to 0.05 wt. % and / or less than or equal to 7 wt. % and having a first part and a second part: reducing the particle size of the biodegradable material to an average diameter less than or equal to 10 mm and / or greater than or equal to 1 mm; degrading at least a portion of the biodegradable material into decomposition products of the biodegradable material and a degraded material; as well as forming an intrinsic binder comprising the decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein the intrinsic binder is bonded to the first portion and the second portion of the biodegradable material, The amount of glucan in the preparation is less than or equal to 47% by weight.

27. A method comprising: The following steps are carried out with a biodegradable material comprising a weight % of lignin greater than or equal to 17 wt% and / or less than or equal to 31 wt% and having a first part and a second part: reducing the particle size of the biodegradable material to an average diameter of less than or equal to 0.005 mm and / or greater than or equal to 15 mm; degrading at least a portion of the biodegradable material into decomposition products of the biodegradable material and a degraded material; as well as forming an intrinsic binder comprising the decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein the intrinsic binder is bonded to the first portion and the second portion of the biodegradable material, The amount of glucan in the preparation is greater than or equal to 54% by weight.

28. A method comprising: The following steps are carried out with a biodegradable material comprising a weight % of lignin greater than or equal to 0.05 wt. % and / or less than or equal to 7 wt. % and having a first part and a second part: reducing the particle size of the biodegradable material to an average diameter less than or equal to 10 mm and / or greater than or equal to 1 mm; degrading at least a portion of the biodegradable material into decomposition products of the biodegradable material and a degraded material; as well as forming an intrinsic binder comprising the decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein the intrinsic binder is bonded to the first portion and the second portion of the biodegradable material, The amount of glucan in the preparation is less than or equal to 47% by weight.

29. A method comprising: The following steps are carried out with a biodegradable material comprising a weight % of lignin greater than or equal to 17 wt% and / or less than or equal to 31 wt% and having a first part and a second part: reducing the particle size of the biodegradable material to an average diameter of less than or equal to 0.005 mm and / or greater than or equal to 15 mm; degrading at least a portion of the biodegradable material into decomposition products of the biodegradable material and a degraded material; as well as forming an intrinsic binder comprising the decomposition products of the biodegradable material, wherein the intrinsic binder is bonded to the first portion and the second portion of the biodegradable material, The amount of glucan in the preparation is greater than or equal to 54% by weight.

30. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising compressing the intrinsic binder, the first portion, and the second portion of the biodegradable material.

31. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising forming the intrinsic binder, the first portion of the biodegradable material, and the second portion into a mat.

32. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising mixing an external binder with the intrinsic binder and the biodegradable material.

33. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising adjusting the water content of the biodegradable material.

34. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising removing water from the biodegradable material.

35. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising hydrating the biodegradable material to increase the moisture content of the biodegradable material by 80% by weight.

36. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising soaking the biodegradable material in acid for a period of time greater than or equal to 1 hour and / or less than or equal to 48 hours.

37. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising treating the biodegradable material with an acid, wherein the acid comprises sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, acetic acid, and / or citric acid, and / or sorbic acid.

38. The method of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising soaking in alkali for a period of time greater than or equal to 1 hour and / or less than or equal to 48 hours.

39. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising treating the biodegradable material with a base, wherein the base comprises sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, and / or ammonium hydroxide.

40. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising applying steam to the biodegradable material such that at least a portion of the lignin, cellulose and / or hemicellulose is released from the biodegradable material.

41. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising providing steam at a temperature greater than or equal to 100°C and / or less than or equal to 220°C.

42. The method of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising providing steam at a pressure greater than or equal to 2 MPa and / or less than or equal to 12 MPa.

43. The method of any of the preceding claims, further comprising adding an external binder to the intrinsic binder and the first and second portions of the biodegradable material, wherein the external binder comprises less than 45% by weight relative to the total weight of the article.

44. The method of any of the preceding claims, further comprising adding an external binder to the intrinsic binder and the first and second parts of the biodegradable material, wherein the additional binder comprises starch, pectin, cellulose, chitin, chitosan, lignin, tannin, rosin and / or polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA).

45. The method of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising adding an external binder to the intrinsic binder and the first and second portions of the biodegradable material, wherein the starch comprises tapioca starch, potato starch, corn starch, barley starch, sorghum starch, and / or wheat starch.

46. ​​The method of any preceding claim, further comprising forming the intrinsic binder from some, but not all, of the biodegradable material.

47. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising heating the biodegradable material to a temperature greater than or equal to 120°C and / or less than or equal to 220°C.

48. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising cooling the biodegradable material from a first temperature to a second temperature.

49. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising cooling the biodegradable material from a first temperature to a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is 5°C, 10°C, or 20°C lower than the first temperature.

50. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising freeze-drying the biodegradable material.

51. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising compressing the intrinsic binder, the first portion of the biodegradable material, and the second portion, wherein compressing comprises applying a pressure greater than or equal to 2 MPa and / or less than or equal to 12 MPa.

52. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising applying heat and compressing the intrinsic binder, the first portion of the biodegradable material, and the second portion.

53. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising molding the intrinsic binder, the first portion of the biodegradable material, and the second portion from a first configuration to a second configuration different from the first configuration.

54. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising applying a surface modification and / or coating to the intrinsic binder, the first portion of the biodegradable material, and the second portion.

55. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising plasticizing the intrinsic binder, the first portion of the biodegradable material, and the second portion.

56. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the biodegradable material is subjected to a pretreatment, wherein the pretreatment comprises a mechanical treatment, a chemical treatment, a biological treatment and / or a hydrothermal treatment.

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