This article provides a review of the biodegradation mechanisms of plastics, presents the definitions, and describes the means of measurement of biodegradation and biodeterioration. Various experimental examples of microbial degradation, namely fungal attack in cellophane and amylose films, starch-based polyethylene films, films with modified starch additives, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-valerate)-biodegradable plastic, and biodisintegration and biodegradation studies of plastic-starch blends, are also presented.

Generally, binders consist of at least three ingredients: a backbone to provide strength (compounds such as polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, and polystyrene); a filler, such as polyacetal and paraffin wax, to occupy space between particles; and additives, such as stearates, stearic acid, or magnesium stearate, as well as phosphates and sulfonates, to adjust viscosity, lubricate tooling, disperse particles, or induce binder wetting of the powder. In the case of binders deposited via ink jet printing, the binder contains solvents to lower the viscosity for easier jetting. The chapter provides a detailed description of these constituents. The requirements of a binder as well as the factors determining the physical and thermal properties of polymers are discussed. Then, two factors associated with solvation of polymers, namely solubility parameter and wetting, are covered. The chapter ends with information on the specification of polymers used in binders.